The Exchange Student
by Stradavari
Summary: An unexpected romance begins during the stay of one exchange student at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_ _Acceptance _

_Dear Miss Bishu,_

_Hogwarts is pleased to announce you have been accepted as an exchange student for the fall term beginning September 1 of this year._

_We understand the most unusual circumstances beginning your late education and have made such allowances as possible for your situation._

_Please meet with our liaison in London at the appointed time enclosed with the fully detailed attachment._

_Best of luck,_

_Headmistress Minerva Mcgonagle_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

I clutched the letter in my hand, smoothing it out the wrinkles and reading it over and over and eventually flipping to the attachment it spoke of and poured over it's details again as well. I'd read the letter so many times that summer, and even after speaking on the phone with the Headmistress herself I could hardly believe this was actually happening.

I was thankful that the elderly gentleman beside me had fallen asleep fairly quickly in the flight overseas. It gave me more time to consider everything. Part of me still mistrusted everything, this could be some horrible trap- you'd hear stories of job offers for positions overseas and no one would ever hear from the young women again- sold into the slave trade. I pushed the thought down, I'd already seen too much this summer to give the notion any real consideration, too much had happened.

A number of days before my birthday, in the midst of June I'd been attending a powwow with some of my closest mates when all hell had broken loose. It was late into the night, just after midnight, the drums had been sounding for three days, and we had camped out in a small tent and gorging ourselves on moose meat and other local delicacies. We had stayed up late, cracking into our third case of beer someone had run into town for earlier that day, and sat around the bonfires. Some danced, and when we had enough beer ourselves, we joined them. I had been up and dancing, it felt good to dance, my inhibitions low once the alcohol had loosened me up and the flames called. I no longer felt an outsider, though I had more First Nations blood in me then two of my fellows that had come with, I was paler then most white folk, and had long given over to dying my copper waist-length hair red so that I looked more Irish then native. The flames and the beat called, and so I pounded my feet in the dust, becoming one with the fire and the music. I watched the other circling forms, they too were one with the flame, and then..they were aflame.

I would learn later that wandless, wordless magic came only naturally to children before they reached a certain age, and began to learn real magic, but that night my drunken revelry caused havoc. I knew not that it was my own doing, and had panicked along with the rest of them, diving towards the closest of them and rolling them in the dirt until the flames extinguished. Several people were moderately injured after they caught fire and one of the elder shamans were awoken and brought to the scene. They did not have formal medical training known to the western world, but were still trusted to complete first aid until help arrived.

I ducked into the main tent where the injured were having their clothing cut away from them, the elder shaman sat over the gravest injury and raised his rattles skyward in the dark enclosure and cried his haunting healing song. I sat next to another patient and tried to sooth them with a dampened and clean cloth. Suddenly I noticed a younger man hiding in the shadows of the tent, he was clutching an old carved staff and muttering incantations of his own under his breath. Suddenly my hands stopped moving, the air seemed to still and I could hear everything he said as though he whispered in my ear. His focus was on the patient the elder was seeing to. I heard myself echoing the strangely seeming words that I understood not, and even as he stamped his staff on the ground I could feel a sudden vibration in the air.

I gasped as I looked over to the patient the elder was seeing to- his burns had almost completely cleared away, and he was breathing easier now. The elder got up and moved to the next man, his burns were less, but still problematic, the younger man followed him with his eyes and repeated the strange ritual. Again I found myself echoing his words, my hearing had become almost super-sensory in the dark and the vibration after the staff pounded the dirt on the floor did a double echo this time, as I felt another ripple ebbing outwards from my own self. I looked down and found the patient I was kneeling beside had also healed. Just as I sensed his own magic, the young man looked up suddenly at me and locked gazes.

He then approached the elder, and pulled him out of the tent to speak with him. It was only moments later when several elders approached me and near dragged me out of the tent. We crossed the large field that held the encampment and moved towards the treeline. I tried to protest but I was so shocked by what was going on that I made little defense.

It was near dawn before enough had become clear to all. I had been the one that caused the fires. I felt nothing but numbness at this point. Shock, disbelief. But I had felt my own magic coming forth to heal. I could give no explanation to them, and so they searched my aura and my memories. I could feel them entering my mind roughly, but I had no defense, and was almost happy to show them I hadn't done any of this on purpose.

I was allowed to go home the next day, but with a guard of sorts, the same young man that had noticed me in the tent. They were all kinder to me then at first once they realized I had no idea what was going on. My personal guard was the kindest still, Joe Onestaff was his name, and he explained everything he could. He had studied magic at a university in Salem, I had laughed a bit at this, but he was quite serious. The friends I had arrived with seemed to have no memory of the events the night before, and only the lesser patients that had not been magically treated had been given over to the paramedics once they arrived. He explained that their memories had been magically tampered with and would only think they had gotten too drunk and passed out. I was embarrassed and slightly grateful that I would not have to explain myself to them, though it was awkward enough having Joe follow us home. My mates all had the impression that I had taken to Joe and was romantically inclined- this was hardly the case, but I couldn't very well disabuse them of the notion.

I received a letter a week later from a raven that had damn near broken the glass to my patio door 7 stories up in my apartment, before Joe explained that it was carrying a message for me.

The letter read fairly simply, an account for my late blooming magic due to a historical curse placed on my lineage that had finally broken that solstice. It also included an offer to attend a European wizarding school en gratis. Joe seemed delighted that I had received a scholarship to a very prestigious school, but had laughed and explained that it wasn't exactly for merit on my own part- but rather that the First Nations council had been badgered for some time by one of the Professors there to send an exchange student so that some of their own ranks could study our way of shamanism. I was being offered up as a sacrificial lamb of sorts, but he said not to take it too hard- it was no prejudice against myself, just an easy answer to their dilemma. I could of course stay here and learn to control magic within my own country if I wanted.

The week had passed less awkwardly then I imagined, my friends had went home, and my vacation from work over- I returned to my dead-end job I so hated. Joe was a polite house guest and mostly stayed out of my way, spending most of his time reading through my books and delighting in using my spare computer. I still felt very poor, as the job did not pay well, and the accommodations were rather shabby for the unexpected guest. It gnawed at my brain that I was so used to living this poor solitary life, and that I had so little to offer Joe in way of good food or entertainment, I could hardly imagine finding time for magical training and still working enough hours to pay rent. The en gratis, scholarship whispered invitingly.

My lease had been up since the previous fall, my job I hated, my parents I rarely ever saw, and my few friends had their own lives to look after. I could do it. I could pick up and leave with hardly any regrets. I finally came to the conclusion that to accept the offer was the best thing that could happen to me. I'd always wanted to see Europe, I didn't know exactly where the school was, but it hardly mattered. I finally told Joe my decision and he grinned and called his own familiar to him from my balcony. His was an old barn owl, tawny and cranky and being summoned during the day. He fastened my return letter to it's leg and let it go.

Joe Onestaff stayed with me right up until I boarded the plane. He said he could teach me no magic, as he was not a qualified teacher, but imparted to me the many legends he had memorized in his youth- including one esoteric story about the family of skinwalkers cursed for a thousand years, stripped of all magic. He told me the story on purpose, letting me divine my own insights and revelations on my history. He had warned me thusly of darker magics, of wars amongst our kind, and parted with this knowledge he bade me be careful, learn all I could yes, but be safe.

So it was that I was sitting here in First Class as the plane began to gently bank towards the London airport, reading my Hogwarts School letter. The final leg of this incredible journey I had undertaken was to stay for one night at a local hotel, and then meet up at a small pub known as The Leaky Cauldron- I groaned inwardly at the name, but I supposed even the magical folk could have a tawdry sense of humor.


	2. Liaison

Chapter Two

_Liaison_

The alarm clock beeped loudly and glared its numbers into my skull as I fumbled to find how it turned off. I struggled into my clothes muttering about the early start, praying European coffee would get me through this term. I hadn't had to wake at such hours in many years, since college actually. I hadn't ever planned to return to school and certainly not at this dreadful hour. I left my trunks in the room, confirming at the concierge that I would return before eleven to check out after shopping. I hurried out into the streets deciding at the last moment to take a cab spending the last of my money to ensure I would arrive not only on time, but hopefully enough time to enjoy some coffee.

My mood was dropping by the moment, stuck in this strange city I had begun to wonder if this was all a hoax, fumbling along the empty streets just past dawn looking for a building that was NOT clearly labeled.

I walked across the street twice, checking the numbers until the corner building caught my eye. I pushed my way through its door into a low lit room. Empty carved benches lining the walls, it was clearly bigger on the inside then the outside. This had to be the place. The bells above the doorway chimed, I made my way up to the counter and an old woman in flour spotted robes peered around the entrance to what I assumed was the kitchen.

'Coffee if you please, mum' I called to her, that was how they said it on British TV right? She gave me a funny look and disappeared again.

I turned around to wait and saw beyond the door I came in, was more space that shouldn't have been there, with windows out into the street that were clearly impossible.

By one of the windows was a severe looking man reading what looked like a newspaper, he did not look up.

The woman had returned with a dirty looking mug with steaming coffee and I tossed what I hoped would be enough money onto the counter beside it and wandered off to a side bench to sit. **I choked on the first sip, looking up to see if she was still around, and found her gone again along with the money. I looked back at the man reading and noticed sugar and creamer sitting on his table and decided then I didn't want to bother with the woman further and approached him gingerly.**

**'Sir, could I trouble you for some of your cream and sugar?'**

**I made no move to sit, nor he to look up, he merely waved me off with his free hand before turning the next page. I assumed acceptance and sat thinking only to sit long enough to mix them into my drink. I watched him over my cup as I deftly dropped into it the sugar and cream, noting the few lines on his face, his dull black hair sitting just at his shoulder had touches of grey. I stirred quietly as possible and then moved to get up and thanked him also quietly.**

'Is that an American accent I detect?' His voice was gravelly, and would have almost been sexy if not for the sneer that seemed permanently engrained. I loved British accents, the ones I could understand anyways and it froze me uncertainly in place.

'Canadian Sir?'

'Sit, Miss Bishu'

I dropped back into the chair gripping the mug tightly, willing my face to relax and stared at him. I sat quietly while he ignored me, and tended to my coffee. Finally after my coffee had gone cold and only dredges remained, he folded the paper and set it delicately to the side and finally looked directly at me.

His eyes were deep brown, almost black, piercing and unforgiving, his face harsh and lined, though not from smiling, never smiling. I decided then he would be beautiful if only he would smile.

I checked my watch and looked expectantly back at him, it was almost time for my appointment and he was the only one here. He continued to stare, as if to see how long it would take me to speak. I could sense he was toying with me, and I had too much to do today to have time for this.

'Sir, you are clearly not the person described I was sent to meet, however, you know my name?'

His face twitched with a ghost of a smile, more sneer then any indication of pleasure and he folded his hands before him, tucking his fingertips into his sleeves.

Many years in the muggle world taught me that a person who hides any physical manifestation of themselves is insecure, and so I also smiled slightly back at him.

'You are correct Miss Bishu, I am not the person who you were originally to meet. Your letter would have mentioned Professor Hagrid' you could hear the derision as he spit out the name.

' Instead I have been deprived of my leisurely Sunday morning planning my classes for tomorrow to endure a shopping trip with you, due to a certain individuals' incompetence at keeping a handle on the Thestrals'.

He paused, as though assessing me once again.

'Though I do appreciate not having my coffee interrupted by idle chitchat, and that you showed up on time'.

'Perhaps this will not be as tedious as I had thought'.

I could not help but smirk, I myself had hated getting up at this hour, and the idea of having to take some tourist shopping instead of enjoying my morning coffee would have set me ready to chew bricks. **I gathered my purse over my arm and he in turn stood straightening his dark robes.**

**' lead the way Sir?'**

**He grimaced passing me and headed for the back of the cafe.**

**'Proffessor Snape' He corrected me passing through the doorway into what I had assumed was the kitchen, into a long hallway. The end of the hallway ended with a door onto a veranda, and by extension- a great bricked yard. He barely paused at the end of the yard, touching several bricks and muttering as they fell away revealing an alley.**

**There were a dozen more people walking about now, the sun fully up though hiding behind grey clouds. Each person in the street was dressed in robes, most attending carts or putting out signs for their businesses.**

**I suddenly felt overwhelmed as I read the signs, Ollivander and Sons Wand Shop, Mrs Tiggles ingredients, Weaslys Wonders. It was real and I was stepping into a world I knew nothing about.**

**His voice startled me, I hadn't realized I had stopped walking **

**'Miss Bishu? shall we get on with this? I'm sure you'll likely want to start with dress robes or some such nonsense'. He seemed to enjoy my discomfort and I could only imagine younger students being petrified at his disparaging manner. It irked me that he would be so harsh to a guest of his school, a foreigner who had done nothing purposeful to rob him of his morning. So I beamed a bright smile up at him, being perversely cheerful.**

**' Couldn't care less what I wear Sir, but if you think it's so important, lets?'**

**His face darkened and he turned on heel, assumingly to lead me to a robe shop. **

**He had retrieved a book from somewhere inside his robes and began reading standing near the front of the store just within the threshold. I went straight for the shopkeeper and explained that I had no idea on how sizing went, but wanted as little fuss as possible. It did not take long to pick out a couple of plain black robes, and school outfits, plus one more item, I winked at the shopkeeper and kept hidden beneath the rest of the clothing items.**

**Professor Snape put his book away long enough to pay for the items (part of the agreement as an exchange student) and usher me to the next shop. After several shops, and one vanity item I was certain I would never regret- a bag of extended storage, of the softest black leather, the professor announced there was only one final purchase to make- a wand.**


	3. A Witches Wand

**Chapter Three**

**A Witches Wand**

**'This should be telling' he made the words seem ominous as we entered the shop.**

**Mr Ollivander shouted at his younger sons about the shop to gather different boxes.**

**'How so?' I was puzzled and my curiosity got the better of my regular silence.**

**'The wand chooses the wizard Miss Bishu, the warp and the wood will tell us a lot about the kind of wizard you're likely to be'**

**'Likely to be a willow Mr Ollivander' he barked, with a strange look that melted back into a sneer as he seemed to give me a once over.**

**'yes yes, right, I could see that' The aged Mr. Ollivander tottered across the room with a handful of boxes.' I can see what you mean Severus, she does look to be a delicious enchantress' The old man gave me a sly look and a wink.**

**I must have looked startled for a moment, but I couldn't help but impishly look up at the professor, determined again to give him a hard time, such as he was giving me. 'Is that an appropriate thought to be having about your students Sir?' To add to his discomfiture I crossed my arms to take up a cross stance that I knew would enhance my feminine curves, and flipped my braid back over my shoulder, cocking my head to give a flash of the skin of my neck no longer hidden by my hair. An expert at body language he was not, I knew, and I couldn't help but tease. The effect was not obvious, beyond that he stared for just a moment too long to be completely unaffected by my stance, and then bit off a scathing retort. **

**' Of course not Miss Bishu, this shall be an interesting year to have a gutter-minded first year student. I expect many detentions'. He turned and strode furiously back to the door and retrieved his book refusing to look up until we were done.**

**'Sir, Mr Ollivander? What sort of wand does a healer use?'**

**The lecherous but kindly old man rattled off types of wood and core ingredients and their various indicators- including willow'. We tried several, and he did insist on trying willow first to unfortunate ends, the wand actually snapped and I imagine I turned a very bright shade of red. Glad the professor did not seem to be watching any more, we tried several more.**

**Finally we settled on the Blackthorn family, when the knotted black gleaming wood finally hummed within my fingers, it was unicorn hair core. **

**'A true healer indeed Miss, how did you know?'**

**'I've always had a fascination for herbs and healing, but little that's practical in the muggle world today, just a hobby til now'**

**I admitted, breathless, reluctant to let the smoothed wood from my grasp now that I had touched magic, truly touched it, and felt it respond.**

**'Finally finished Miss Bishu?'**

**He paid as I turned and tucked the wand up my sleeve, dropping the wrappings and box into my new bag. We stepped out into the streets, and I checked my watch seeing it was nearly 10:30. **

**'Where are your things? We shall need to head to the school soon.' All business again, no more teasing it seemed.**

**'The hotel.. we could catch a cab?' **

**'Hardly, to be bothered with filthy muggle transportation.. though as a first year..' He seemed to think for a moment, and led me into a joining empty alleyway.**

**'This is not commonly allowed for first years, but for the sake of getting any class preparation done..give me your arm'. **

**He held out his hand but stopping well before it made any movement towards me, his voice demanding, but his actions screaming reluctance. Clearly he needed only touch my arm for whatever was to come, but I purposely stepped forward into his personal space before lifting my arm, and looked up at him, I kept my face purposefully solemn, I was goading him enough with invading his space, I knew not to push him too far. He frowned watching my face for signs of mischief, seeing none, he grabbed my arm roughly, long cold fingers touching just a hint of my skin below my sleeve, much too tightly as though he was completely unfamiliar with touching another being and unaware of the strength he placed in his grip. His other arm manifested his wand, a curious black and engraved piece, almost beautiful compared to the stark simplicity of my own, and with a flourish and a sucking black light he instructed the magic' DISSAPARATE'.**

**I blinked for a moment, standing in my dark hotel room, I had of course turned off the lights and left the window curtains closed. I blushed as I turned and realized I had not made up the bed, and in fact had left my deep green negligee lying strewn carelessly half across the bed, half on top of the nightstand covering the alarm clock.**

**The Professor stepped back and leaned against the wall.**

**'Well Hogwarts won't be any different for one more messy student' He seemed to take pleasure in the few items scattered around the room. This man truly seemed to look for the worst in everyone!**

**I refused to be badgered by this man further so I grinned up at him with that same horrifying grin from this morning.**

**' Could be worse Sir, could bunk the two of us as roommates!' I went on cheerfully chucking the last of my belongings into my new bag, content to sort them out later.**

**'Slytherin save me from such a fate' His remark seemed delayed and muttered under his breath, I did not look to his face as I was busy packing.**

**Finally everything but one trunk of clothes, and my violin, was packed into the black leather. I turned to face him. His face was passive as he waited for me to approach lugging the heavy items. I turned out the light, and left the keys on the table before standing beside him to allow him to spell us away again. I tucked the violin under my arm protectively, to give him my other arm to spare. This time he stepped closer to me, his eyes glittering in the darkened room. **

**'Do you play Miss Bishu?' His cadence smooth and neutral. **

**'Yes Sir, classically trained' **

**He tilted his head down to look at me, hair falling forward in the dark.**

**'I should like to hear you play some time' He gripped my arm more carefully then before and we disappeared into blackness.**

**Then we were standing before a train platform, a gleaming red beast purring before us. He stepped away, all banter forgotten, the sneering professor voice returned with a simple 'Good luck, Miss Bishu' before he disappeared leaving me surrounded by young children and their parents.**


	4. The Sorting

**Chapter Four**

**The Sorting**

**I pressed my noise against the glass as the journey to the school began, staring out at the countryside flashing by. Pleased the train did not jostle like normal trains, though the children whispering around me started to get on my nerves.**

**A young boy with blond curls tugged on my sleeve gently.**

**'Scuse me Miss, are you one of our teachers?' I gave him a wry smile**

**'No..'**

**'Then, beggin your pardon, why are you on the Hogwarts train?'**

**Another voice chimed in' Are you going to hogwarts'?**

**I grinned outright at them.**

**' I'm a first year, it looks like you're first years too' I enjoyed watching their incredulous faces.**

**'But you're...you're old?!' a girl with short red hair gasped at me, then hid her face.**

**'Yup sure am, but I'm new to magic like you'.**

**'Why do you talk funny?' the first boy asked**

**'I'm a Canadian exchange student, I have a Canadian accent, not quite the Queens proper English' I drawled the last bit with an over the top imitation of their own accents which made them giggle.**

**The conversation seemed to go along without me at that point and finally droned on so I could go back to looking out the window at the English moors.**

**We arrived hours later at a beautiful castle standing alone against the sea. The sky had darkened and as we got off the train a booming voice belonging to a giant of a man cried out' FIRST YEARS, THIS WAY FIRST YEARS, COME' ALONG'**

**I followed my shorter counterparts along to a set of docks next to a glassy black lake reflecting the lanterns from aboard a handful of small crafts. This must be Hagrid, as described from my letters. He bellowed as soon as he sighted me.**

**' There's a big lass, you'd be Miss Beeshoo, are ye not?' I grinned at him, it was impossible not to love this bear of a man.**

**' And a big lad like yourself, you must be Hagrid!' I yelled back at him. He smiled kindly at me and the rest of the first years and ushered us all into seats **

**'Yes that's right, come'along come along now'.**

**We glided into the night.**

**The great doors were standing open viewing the courtyard, and into the great hall, the first years were filed away from the others into a topsy turvy way around the dining hall to enter from elsewhere into that room, straight to the head table. There stood the Headmistress smiling benevolently down at all the children of various ages, all other years already at their tables, and the Mistress standing next to a stool holding a very tattered pointed grey hat.**

**Once my group had stopped moving I was free to stare at ..everything, there was so much to see, the enchanted ceiling showing parting grey clouds revealing soft moonlight, hundreds of floating golden candles, the burnished tables with golden platter-ware, the various teachers engaged in quiet conversation behind the head table, including the grim looking Professor Snape. His appearance seemed only slightly improved from this morning, I think he attempted a brush through his hair, and that was about it. Headmistress McGonagall gave a pretty speech welcoming the new class of students, an introductory speech highlighting the various aspects of the different houses and several other small details- the forbidden forest was, surprise surprise forbidden, and so on.**

**The hat seemed to come to life on its own making another speech about the Sorting of the Houses, and a brief history in pentameter.**

**Conversation came into focus as I heard my name called.**

**' Leanne Frances Bishu, step forward and be sorted'.**

**I wasn't very interested in which house I'd be placed, never having been one for school spirit, I only wished to learn everything that could be taught. She placed the brim against my hair and let it settle, finally a student that didn't have it held up by their ears, or falling straight down.**

**Suddenly there was a voice in my head- it was the hat 'So old?! ah yes, the cursed ones, the Skinwalkers..the darkest of magicks, and here I sense a thirst for knowledge, a good mind but not entirely academic, there's even a bit of artistry, no close family, not to worry soon we shall be your family, oh..there it is, a deep burning loyalty -Griffendor perhaps? but...morality? goals? well that's interesting..' The hat seemed to mutter on to itself for ages. Even the Headmistress started looking worried, this was clearly taking longer then expected- perhaps the hat would not work on someone...so old?..**

**'SLYTHERIN IT IS!'**

**I'd been trying to catch Professor Snapes' eye for some time, if only for a familiar face in this sea of magic, his scowling-self was almost a grounding effect for me. It was when the hat called out my new house and I headed for the table draped in green and silver velvets that he looked up and at me seemingly startled.**

**I winked at him. It took him almost another full breath to start scowling again. I sat at the Slytherin table and introduced myself as several of the younger students cheered and the older ones rushed forward in haughty tones to welcome me to what was obviously, in their opinion the best house. I shoved my suitcase under the bench and wedged my violin between my knees, with barely room to spare, thank goodness this bench would seat older students as well or it might have been an issue. The redhead from the train came to our table as well, introduced herself as Emily and smiled gratefully at me as I moved down to give her room.**

**The feast itself was magnificent, the grandeur topped most feasts I'd ever seen, and much higher quality then I expected en masse. I'd spent many years in my life as a muggle learning the art of cooking professionally, and was happy to set into the food with my new mates.**

**At the end of the feast the students all filed away after their houses led by student Prefects, I had begun to move towards the Slytherin Prefect who was attempting to be as bossy as possible, I think in part to make up for no longer being the eldest student of his house; when Professor Snape pulled me aside.**

**'I had not expected to have to deal with you again this day Miss Bishu, but as Head of Slytherin house I am to find you accommodations within our part of the castle- the dungeons' **

**I shifted the weight of my items and followed a step behind him as we took a different corridor then the rest of my House. The passageways wound and within moments I was lost, but for following his black robes moving soundlessly before me leading the way deeper into the castle. He paused finally at the beginning of a new corridor and seemed to be going over a map in his head, muttering names and flicking his fingers at various doors. I had almost run into him he had stopped so suddenly.**

**'I know where I'll put you'..and he marched to the end of the corridor.**

**'Across from me shall do just fine, there are several empty rooms to the sides so that if your playing is horrific you won't disturb anyone but me, and I can keep an eye on you'. He gestured to the door on the left, leaving me to readjust my personal effects to grab the latch.**

**I stepped into the room as the fireplace lit itself with almost a wheezing cough spattering dust and cobwebs into the air. It wasn't a very large room, holding a bed, a writing desk, several bookshelves, an armoir and a tiny side room with a simple vanity, toilet and shower. I approved highly of the deep green decor- almost black, and silver tracings, green had always been my colour, my eyes had lost their heritage of brown, for most occasions anyways, they were green, changing colour with my moods. I set my items along my bed neatly, ready to be unpacked and turned. He was still standing there in the doorway looming with a strangely neutral expression.**

**'Planning to tuck me in Sir?' I knew it would be one of my last chances to tease my House master out of earshot of others and couldn't help myself.**

**'I don't know what that hat was thinking Miss Bishu, but you had better not disappoint House Slytherin' He stepped back and nearly slammed the door shut.**

**I was pleased to see there was a latch, and moved forward to close it. I spent maybe twenty minutes putting various things away and then at last placing the case of my violin beside my bed, only to pick it up and take it out of its casings. I was worried that perhaps the voyage had caused damage, and nearly as worried it would take forever to re tune.**

**I plucked softly at the strings, each tone I bent my ear closer to the wood, then moving my fingers across the bridge, I stopped and twisted on one of the tuning pegs, to pluck again until it was perfect. Slowly I rosined the bow, scraping the black amber across its hair and then blowing off the excess dust. The violin came to life as I played as quietly as I could, a soft simple sad melody, part of a piano duet I had learned when I was younger, determined to not wake anyone and be sure still that it was in perfect form, and it was.**

**Finally I placed it back inside its fur lined case, and wrapped the bow in its silk before putting it away. I was very sleepy when I finally unwound my hair from its braid and slipped under the covers.**


	5. Potions, DarkArts,and Slytherins Oh My!

**Chapter Five**

**Potions and Dark Arts and Slytherins', Oh my!**

**A tapping at the door startled me awake, I hadn't put any thought into a form of alarm clock and my heart hammered in my chest. 'was I late for class? did I miss breakfast?' My thoughts raced.**

**'Miss Bishu are you up yet?' It was the Professors voice sounding cranky as ever. Clearly he had not yet had his coffee, so I couldn't be that late could I?**

**'One moment please Sir, I'm not yet decent'.**

**I raced to slip into my uniform and robes, doing a bit of a jig to get the zipper on this confounded skirt they put me in, it was almost as hilarious trying to watch the tailor try to find something that would fit my grown body in this outfit. I grabbed my bag, and snapped an elastic around my wrist for my hair and unbolted the door.**

**'That was quicker then I expected Miss Bishu, I thought women take hours to get ready for anything. And yet, I expect had you taken hours I'm not sure you would ever be entirely decent' he sneered at me and started down the hall.**

**I followed, twisting my hair into a bun quickly.**

**'I understand, I haven't had my coffee yet either Sir' I said smugly to his back.**

**I tried desperately to memorize the corridors we followed, which took us back to the great hall. Only teachers were there yet, eating their breakfast and reading the paper. I knew better then to follow him to join the rest, and instead sat alone at the students table, pleased to see coffee and pancakes and sausages and the like apparate before me.**

**First and foremost I fixed my coffee to my liking and took a happy slurp with a satisfied sigh before snaking my hand into my bag to grab my timetable. Potions Monday 8am. I snuck a look at my watch seeing it was just barely past 7 and was thankful for an hour to wake up, before setting anything on fire. I snuck my introduction to potions 1rst Year out of the bag as well and managed to balance book, plate, and cup, with years of experience. This was exactly how I'd spend every morning, assuming that morning had to actually happen before noon.**

**It wasn't long before students came drowsily into the room and noisily found their seats. I tucked the book away thinking I'd be unable to read with the ruckus, and paid a bit more attention to actually eating my breakfast.**

**Emily the redhead was a disturbingly joyful morning person, and I tried to be kind to her even though my coffee was not halfway done, I knew it was nerves causing her to chatter on. I also gave a respectful nod to Slytherin Prefect Josua - he finally introduced himself to me, and it seemed to puff his head quite considerably. At least he would be easy to wrap around my finger.**

**Soon to be 8, I noticed that the professor and most teachers had already slipped out, and started asking for directions to Potions from the older kids. Several wrong turns, with several first years in tow following me like lost sheep, we finally made our way deep into the dungeons again, a different floor I think then my own, and found the laboratory. We had just made it in on time as we slid into our seats and there was Professor Snape. The Professor slammed the book he had been reading shut and slid it over by his cup to grab our attention.**

**'This years potion course has been divided into two classes due to the number of new students this year, Professor Slughorn is teaching the Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor Houses, much to his lament I'm sure, while I have the pleasure of teaching my own Slytherin and of course Ravenclaw. **

**We are also dividing Defense against the Dark Arts, I again will be teaching this group.**

**Each of you come from a different ..background, and have different inherent qualities, however if you can be taught anything useful at all I will see to it.'**

**His tone was scything, many of the students seem to shrink in their seats.**

**' If you would stop gawking at Miss Bishu and turn to page 3 we shall get started.'**

**He barked at the students as he began pacing with his own copy flipped open. I hadn't even realized until then that some of them had been staring. I had sat up front, knowing my glasses were still too poor to see well from further back, and turning my head I saw several students duck their heads down and start looking for the page he directed.**

**I turned to page three and retrieved a notebook and quill from my bag, as the professor seemed to drone about the table of contents. I flipped ahead a couple pages, skim reading headlines, ingredients, basic instructions, and then a couple more.**

**'You will keep on the task the rest of the class is working on Miss Bishu' **

**He snapped at me suddenly, my name drawing me from the texts.**

**'Your years among the muggles can hardly have prepared you any more then the rest of this lot'. **

**I scowled down at the text, not looking up, but flipping back to the prescribed page.**

**I started making notes about the different sections that he described, taking time to make the headlines and points and notes elaborate as possible to try and keep focused on the topic at hand and keep me from going completely batshit out of boredom. I was unused to being unable to work ahead at my own pace, this class was going to be dreadful.**

**Finally I took to staring at the hourglass sifting the minutes away on his desk, the first day of any class I knew would be tedious and barely informative but this was just painful. Homework finally assigned, the fidgety students started putting their equipment away and filing out of class. Magic History went not much better, though thankfully the professor paid no notice as I read ahead, instead droning on about the various events we would be studying in detail in the term to come.**

**Thankfully by lunch hour and a second cup of coffee, I finally seemed fully awake. I was pleased to note the teachers actually leaving their tables this time, and that they took their mugs with them. So I waited for my cup to magically refill before totting off to Charms class with my third cup happily tucked under my arm.**

**Defense against the Dark arts followed Charms and would take up the remainder of the afternoon. I had been pulled aside by headmistress McGonagall when she spotted me in the corridor between classes, she had told me it was not for first years to be allowed drinks into classes, and not to be surprised if any of the teachers disallowed it. She had agreed to specifically not notice my mug, in understanding of adult dependence on the bitter brew, she had commented she did not think she could make it through an afternoon without her tea.**

**I set the mug on my desk, sitting near the back of the room, since there did not seem to be any writing board for Defense against the Dark Arts, and prayed Professor Snape wouldn't say anything.**

**He began his lesson, describing practical wand care, and safety. I had watched his eyes take in my mug briefly, and I could almost swear his lips twitched into the slightest of smiles as he returned to his desk for some of his own brew before continuing.**

**So there was some bend to this man after all!**

**We spent the rest of the afternoon polishing our wands, most of ours new and hardly needing it, but dedicatedly rubbing them down with silk and finely powdered sand and oil just the same. I was pleased to have my wood gleaming, and jerked my head up as I caught the proffessors face reflected in its inky black surface.**

**'Very good' he murmured before stepping on.**

**There were a couple more items I had left behind that I deeply regretted not being able to bring with me, however there was no way my sword collection would have made it through customs. Wand care was very similar to the care of a blade, and it brought a pang of homesickness. I had left them with a very dear friend, who was quite worried that I bequeathed such treasured items. I told them that I was going overseas to meet some relatives I had only recently found out about, and not to worry, that I would write them as soon as I could.**

**The class seemed to end before I was ready for it to, and found myself packing away my things, unsure what to do next. An hour before dinner, and then an evening to fill before bedtime.**

**Last to leave the room the professor stopped me at the door.**

**'Miss Bishu, if you would like, I can show you to the Slytherin Commen Room, there is a notice board in there that will allow you to take part in extracurricular activities should you so wish, or perhaps to find a study group should you need'.**

**'Please Sir, I should like that very much' I gave him a grateful smile. He did not seem one to empathize much, but could almost read minds when he wanted to.**

**We walked companionably down to the dungeons, I managed to keep up with him for most of the turns, getting the hang of my way once we ventured into Slytherin territory. We stopped before a painting, a cruel-eyed man with piercing green eyes stared out at us from the acrylics, and then his hands moved, smoothing down the ruffles of his ancient regalia.' Password?' It challenged.**

**'Salazar' Snape countered, and the painting suddenly turned inward to reveal a passageway.**

**He paused to look at me, dark eyes direct and penetrating. Then he held out his arm to direct me to proceed ahead.**

**'Tomorrow, I will show you the Library if you like..'I heard him call after as I entered the room.**

**'Yes please, Sir...?' The portal had closed behind me leaving me in a gilded room full of staring students.**

**Josua stood and beckoned me over, indicating a place on the lounge where two other elder girls pouted at him, making room for me. They were both very beautiful and young compared to myself, I felt ungainly beside them, but curled up just the same, taking in the room. The conversations around resumed, one of the girls beside me turned to ask 'So, you're from the States?'**

**'No' I smiled ' Canada actually' **

**'That explains your appalling accent' She snorted.**

**I could tell she was jealous of the attention I was receiving. I tilted my head and spoke quietly to her, giving hints at forbidden knowledge.**

**'Perhaps some may enjoy a foreign tongue, perhaps even some men' I winked at her, and she grinned, sensing a companion who may share her secrets.**

**'And you know things, thing that some men may like?' She was openly curious now, hesitation to accept me forgotten.**

**'There are benefits to being so horribly old' I smiled languidly. I knew I must depreciate myself or her jealousy would spike again.**

**'I can't see that you're all that old' one of the older boys spoke up, several girls including the one I'd been talking to scowled at him.**

**'Oh good, he's at least learned how to flatter women in his tender years' I smirked at him, diffusing the situation.**

**'So what's interesting?' I asked the room at random.**

**The other girl beside me lit up, face alive with juicy gossip, not what I wanted to hear, but I knew I had to listen to this drivel to learn anything ever in this room. 'Oh we've only received one mudblood this year, it's been a nice change, don't worry Gregory, we'll do our best to make you a worthy Slytherin just the same' she spoke haughtily towards a blushing brunette with dark greasy hair' Some years our House just goes to the dogs what with the fil...' her voice trailed off as she slowly realized she was talking to someone who had clearly been raised by muggles.**

**'Your situation doesn't count!' she squeaked 'Your family was cursed, you could have all been powerful wizards if not for..' She trailed off again. **

**'It's fine' I replied, giving her an assuring smile. **

**'Do you really think that having two pure blood parents increases the breed of wizard'? I inquired politely.**

**'Oh surely, what was your name again?' 'Leanne' I responded, motioning for her to go on.**

**'Leanne, yes of course it does! if you take two goblets of wine, and then a goblet of wine mixed with water, surely you can taste the difference?' I nodded as though accepting her version.**

**'Most interesting, I'm afraid I'm completely uneducated in these sort of things, but tell me, where did the first wizarding blood come from? are we not from the same stock? perhaps we are not nurturing potential magic in muggleborns by bestowing our greater spark among their poor class?' I reasoned carefully, wanting to learn and not offend in the same breath.**

**The girl snorted and was about to answer when another boy pipped up.**

**' No one knows just how far back, most of the proper wizarding families think that we aren't even from the same stock, and that we are only diluting what's left of the magical race, there are plenty of theories and texts on possible origins'. **

**Everyone was warmed to the subject and I found myself explaining the little I knew of the shaman world where I came from and it's blood stock.**

**On the way down to dinner I paused to check the notice board, made note of tomorrow's password, and various activities. There was an orchestra for senior years, I made note to myself to see if I would be allowed.**

**Dinner was most pleasant, having made friends among the younger Slytherins, though I found myself looking up at the teachers table several times just to look at Professor Snape while he attacked his food almost as if to vent the days frustrations upon it. It was strange how reassuring he was to me.**

**After dinner I returned to the great hall to find it transfigured, there were rows of benches and music stands now, I understood the rooms choice for it had brilliant acoustics. Case under arm I hovered near the Slytherin entrance as other students shuffled in carrying their own instruments. Professor Flitwick pushed his way through the students, some taller then himself, being a man of short stature. **

**'Everyone from last year take your seats, tryouts from third years sit over here and we'll get you sorted' He announced loudly, then eying my presence **

**'What are you doing here?'**

**'Sir? I know I'm only a first year, but I am an advanced musical student, Grade 9 Royal Conservatory of Canada, passed all my exams well, I think I'd do alright, if you would let me join you?' I pretended to be shy, moving forward, there was only one boy from Slytherin I recognized, and he grinned at me knowing my ruse to get in.**

**It was a high school level music class, I knew Id have no problems keeping up so long as it was classical. The professor ushered me forward agreeing to at least hear me play.**

**'I don't know what any of that Canadian standardization is like, can you at least read music?' I nodded. He shoved a sheaf of paper at me, and at several of the other new players,**

**It was one of Beethovens' pieces, and one I was familiar with, I sighed in relief and pulled the stand closer and sat down, unpacking my instrument.**

**'Gosh that's brilliant' said another violinist, her hands twitching along her own beat up instrument of possibly pine. I beamed a smile at her, it was my pride and joy.**

**The night went smoothly, I was far more advanced then any of the other students in the room and this seemed to please Professor Flitwik greatly. He handed out pieces for us to practice when we could and they returned to their various common rooms, and I turned down into the dungeons diverting off from my fellow Slytherin.**

**I paused outside my door, listening to the faintest strains of piano coming from across the hall, my heart thumped in my chest for a moment, as the realization dawned. It was the same piece I'd been playing the night before, not only did he hear me, he recognized it and had the song among his own musical collection.**

**I rushed into my room and threw the latch. Suddenly it was awkward to contemplate playing across the hall from him.**

**Thankfully I'd had my share of playing for the evening and could simply shower and turn in.**


	6. Small Praise

**Chapter Six**

**Small Praise**

**The next day in classes went much smoother, there was practical lesson time in Potions, where we actually got to make a potion. I enjoyed it thoroughly whenever the professor wasn't breathing down my neck as if looking for mistakes. It was similar to my work as a chef, following the instructions, reading bits here and there on the theory behind why to keep the flames blue for this part, and turn it lower still for the last. I took my time cleaning my utensils as my cauldron simmered softly away near the end of the class, my potion finished and instinctively I knew it was acceptable as a first try.**

**I jumped as I hadn't heard him sneak up behind me**

**' Miss Bishu, it looks like you have successfully made the potion from the correct page. After yesterday I had half worried that I'd find some dismal attempt from the poisons in the last chapter..' I scowled at him. Some praise indeed.**

**I waited until he walked past, and until I knew other students were looking at me and then childishly stuck out my tongue. A dark hair girl from Ravenclaw one seat over giggled.**

**'Miss Sheppard? what is it that you find so funny?'**

**Her face looked from myself to his back in terror 'Nothing Sir?'**

**'Ten points from Ravenclaw, and do not let me catch you lying again'.**

**'All in all a decent attempt today, though Frederickson, I'm afraid your potion should be labeled as poison since you added the leaves and not the stems as the book instructed'.**

**'Class Dismissed'.**

**I spent most of Magic History doodling in my notebook and enjoying my coffee as the teacher seemed only to hear his own voice.**

**Transfiguration I was lent a moldy old owl belonging to the school, as I had no familiar of my own to practice on. **

**Classes finally ended for the day so I crept off to my room to practice before dinner. The light was out from under his door so I broke out the new pieces we would later play. My concentration was broken by a very insistent rapping at my door, and I set my violin to the side to answer. Professor Snape was standing outside looking annoyed and about to rap his knuckles again but for a missing door.**

**'Lost track of time did you Miss Bishu?" I looked at my wrist and blanched, dinner started 5 minutes ago.**

**'Yes Sir'**

**'well come along then..is that?' he paused peering over my shoulder into my room. 'That's a beautiful instrument, may I?' His voice seemed hushed and strangely hallowed as he barely waited for me to move out of the way so he might approach the violin sitting on the bed.**

**'Do you play Sir?' He barely seemed to notice I was in the room anymore as he picked it up gently, and twisted the bow into his other hand. I could tell by the expert movement he did.**

**'A little, I used to anyways' He placed the gleaming black wood against his chin and gripped it gently thus, hair falling against the edges of the frame, I feared for a moment that the grease of his hair, but no, he must have just cleaned it for it was soft and silky and fresh. The bow rang out over the strings as he played a brief arpeggio scaling up and down, and then sat the instrument in his lap to examine again.**

**'Beautiful piece this, the tone is most impressive, I don't see any brand on it anywhere' He held it up close to his nose trying to see in through the tiny slits for markings inside.**

**'No Sir, Japanese import, I got lucky, most of them are useless' Feeling my stomach rumble and wanting to leave for dinner and feeling slightly uncomfortable with his hands caressing my most beloved object.**

**'Very lucky' he murmured getting up and setting it back down on top of the silk wrappings where he found it.**

**The glow in his eyes seem to dim as he stepped away from the instrument, it seemed almost sad to deprive him of the only joy I had seen him come close to expressing. We left and began the trek to the dining hall.**

**After some time and thinking I decided 'Sir, if you would like, I would be willing to lend her to you for a night or two a week'**

**The professor seemed to pause mid step, recover and keep walking with a quick glance at my face. **

**'No..no that would not be necessary'.**

**After dinner I waited for the professor to finish and get up to leave before following him. 'Sir, I know I rushed off after class, but would you still have time to show me the library this evening?'**

**He seemed to consider for a moment, then darting his glance around as if to see if anyone was watching and scowled at me**

**'Very well Miss Bishu, I had thought you changed your mind' he proceeded to stalk off in a different direction then he had first headed.**

**'Not at all Sir' I panted trying to keep up with his long gait**

**'I just figured that I should practice before people may try to be sleeping instead of..' I flushed remembering the piano and that I had just let on I knew he heard me. I was thankful he did not look at me.**

**He led me upwards into the castle into a grandiose wing with gold inlay double doors intricate with carvings and what I assumed were protective charms. I let out a gasp as he pushed open the doors into this vault of books lining every wall ceiling to floor. My face beamed heartfelt delight and I stood just within the threshold gazing up at the ladders stretching up to the highest levels.**

**'I'll leave you to it then' **

**Snape moved around my still form, I was too lost in all the books to really register him leaving. I stood there for too long, getting weird looks from other visitors to the library, and even more incredulous looks from one student that happened to notice Snape actually smiling as he had whirled around me unbeknownst. **

**And known to only him, he smiled the rest of his walk back to his chambers.**

**That night I slept heavily, content, wrapped in green silk sheets and surrounded by musty old tomes I had borrowed, finished homework laying on my writing desk.**

**Wednesday I saw little of the professor, waking hours late with no one to call upon me and wandered down to the Greathall. I sat alone with my textbooks until lunch was served and I would whisk off to herbology. I'd forgotten that Wednesday we were to sleep in for the late astronomy class. I'd been looking forward to my first trip up the tallest tower of Hogwarts. I was a bit hesitant about heights, but nothing would keep me from being that much closer to the stars which I had loved when I was younger.**

**First class I opened a new book, beautiful and blank with a heavy cover binding the pristine pages and to some strange looks from the other students I also retrieved my pencil kit from the leather bag. I spent the class mixing detailed sketches of the plants and inking in notes around them of their various properties.**

**Flying was to be the last class for the day before the sun set, and I was dreading it fully. An embarrassing hour was spent coaxing this ridiculous tatty broom I had straddled into the air. The damned thing would only move a few inches at a time each time I called out directions to it. Professor Hooch was kindly enough about it, at least until I lost my temper and began cussing under my breath questioning the brooms' ancestry. I was glad that only 5 points was removed from house Slytherin in perspective of the youngsters giggling and whizzing around me while I began laying in loudly at the confounded contraption.**

**I groaned, knowing I would hear about the loss of points later in the common room.**

**I did, and more mutterings followed me in the halls to Orchestra.**

**Astronomy I was more comforted by our teacher. Professor Firenze was also extremely uncomfortable with heights, avoiding the balustrade by several feet and fidgeting with the large brass telescope. I tried my very best to concentrate on the stars, and not our teacher who was- I had heard rumors but did not believe them- a centaur. He seemed at ease with me, and I was curious about this race I never knew existed, he spoke in hushed tones of our ancestors, that once the shaman people were friendly with his though both races were dying out. We passed the time companionably whilst waiting for certain stars to align to best portray their fall constellations.**

**The professors light was out under his door when I returned to my room that night.**

**The next day I hummed to myself while slicing the roots of a Fluxweed plant. I stopped and leafed through my textbook suddenly, keeping one finger firmly in the page we were working on, then skimming the back page for contents and then finally sighing in frustration and going back to the first page.' Professor, may I ask a question?' I had gone back to slicing the roots exactly as shown in the book.**

**'Yes Miss Bishu'? I could hear from his tone he was already sure he wasn't going to like the question, and a hint of threat implied.**

**'Sir, I was just wondering, for my own understanding of the theory and artistry of the craft, and I couldn't find it in the textbook..'**

**'Get on with it?'**

**'Well Sir, the textbook has us slicing these roots straight, while in other applications I've read previously, if you slice the roots at a slight angle it betters the infusion brewed from the plant, I was just wondering why we wouldn't use a smaller amount of ingredients and do it that way, unless maybe it doesn't work on magical plants?'**

**His face darkened considerably, looking down at my book suspiciously as well.**

**'And what have you been reading Miss Bishu? I do believe I made it quite clear how I felt about your going on ahead?'**

**'Going on? oh...Sir no, you mistake me, as embarrassing as this is I was referring to ...uh muggle texts, I was thinking specifically to ginger-root for relieving nausea' I blushed hotly, here was the Head of Slytherin and I was babbling about muggles in front of him.**

**'Muggle...texts?' He sneered in disbelief.**

**'Well I suppose they're not entirely in the dark ages anymore, indeed yes in advanced potion making you would learn more skills such as slicing at an angle to increase the use of ingredients stock, for now just follow the book to the letter'. **

**'Yes Sir..'I was actually happy to be right, to have my own intuition confirmed, and my previous knowledge useful even though I was mortified at the same time.**

**I kept my head down throughout the rest of the class, dashing for the door the moment the hourglass ran dry.**


	7. Poker Night

**Chapter Seven**

**Poker Night**

**The rest of the week blurred past with textbooks and music ending in a late Friday night under the stars.**

**Saturday morning the dungeons felt warmer then usual, this I attributed to the stones of the castle heating up under a bright sun, though I was disappointed to miss my morning wake-up call, only Headmistress McGonagall at the teachers table during breakfast. I was pleased however she beckoned me over to join her at the high table.**

**'This early on a Saturday, most students won't be out of bed til noon, come join me Miss Bishu, I could use a breakfast companion this fine morning'.**

**'How are your classes going?' she inquired, sipping at her cup and refolding the napkin in her lap.**

**'Some of them are challenging, anything with true magic like transfiguration still seems so far away, a long grasp for me, it's hard for me to believe this is all real, while other, drier courses like History of Magic, remind me just why I was glad to be done with school the first time around'. I smiled wryly stirring the spoon in my mug.**

**'I expect interacting with your classmates has been a challenge as well?' She smirked as she pressed a lump of marmalade onto her toast with a gold leaf knife.**

**I confessed to my previous conversations within the common room of Slytherin. A week in and I had gotten a sense enough of the house politics to know as a Gryffindor the headmistress may well be horrified at our objective discussions of breeding thusly.**

**'I do not tell you this to shock you Headmistress, but to give you a bit of insight on how I view my own place within them, I know the topic is considered distasteful, however if you'll think about it, I managed to have an entire room of young Slytherins actually considering the merits of the muggle "class" and possibly a new view on our interactions with them'**

**She actually smiled.**

**'You are indeed in a unique position, being both of a more prestigious line of wizards and witches then many of them may claim, with years of muggle life experience to draw upon. I think the other Houses may be unknowingly grateful to have you in the Slytherin house. **

**She mused to herself.**

**I can also see now why the hat placed you there instead of what I was sure would have been Ravenclaw'.**

**'Speaking of unique positions' she regarded me thoughtfully 'It would drive me mad to have none but children to talk to day after day, Saturday nights Hogwarts teachers host a small poker night for the staff, if you would like I can write you a note allowing you out and about on Saturday nights to join us? We can enjoy a few hands, and perhaps a brandy or two.'**

**I agreed thinking it would indeed be excellent to spend an evening with folk closer to my own age.**

**The afternoon went by drowsily, I had taken a number of textbooks out into the courtyard, charming the pages to only turn when my hands touched them, and not be blown willy nilly by the wind. Dinner I spent back at the student tables amongst my colleagues, the ruckus was amazing since the only teacher present was Hagrid who had taken up half the Hufflepuff table himself and made no attempts to tame the merriment. One of the young Ravenclaws went shrieking from her table as snakes sprouted from the dish beside her, and Prefect Josua started dressing down one of the older Slytherins who was hastily stuffing his wand back under his robes. I winked at him to take off the sting, it was a harmless joke and excellent practice at charms.**

**Perhaps the young Ravenclaw would pay better attention during Defense against the Dark arts now.**

**I retired to my rooms after to practice, waiting for my invitation to the card game. I played several lively pieces I had memorized from old exams just to get the feel again for faster paced music, the new pieces assigned were much slower and less advanced.**

**Finally a tap at the door and I hurried off with Professor Slughorn who was chattering away pleased apparently for a better representation of Slytherin at the old gent's table.**

**'I heard you playing before you answered Miss Bishu, you're quite talented' He pushed open the door to his office, now transformed into a plush parlor. 'I have a piano there against the back wall, perhaps you could play something for us?'**

**Mcgonagal, Flitwik, Hagrid and a few others I did not yet recognize were all sitting around a large round table topped with a white cloth and littered with decks and chips.**

**'I'm actually quite terrible at the piano' I admitted **

**'Perhaps Professor Flitwik might teach me a tune sometime?' I smiled and sat down next to him.**

**'Filius, if you please Leanne' He grinned back at me.**

**Hagrid pipped up then.**

**'In this room we take off our hats and let down our hair' **

**The conversation turned back and forth as Mcgonagal dealt out the cards and calling out the rules' You can call me Minerva, now gents remember no using magic, and NO CHEATING' she seemed to eye up Horace particularly.**

**Flitwik leaned over and whispered to me.**

**' I'm actually barely passable as a pianist, my true instruments are brass, the only reason I play piano during music classes is to keep the rest of us in tune'**

**'You should hear Severus play, though he hasn't touched it in ..oh years...check, call or fold Hagrid?' Minerva chimed in.**

**'Why isn't he here anyways?' I asked**

**'Severus? Here?' She blinked owlishly at me' Oh he isn't really the..socializing sort, he'll be better in his element at home with his nose in a book no doubt' Minerva laid out her cards at the end of the round claiming the winning hand.**

**'Oh I didn't know he could play Minerva, truly a shame, I should see if I could get him to play at one of my little gatherings some night' Slughorn said refilling everyone's glasses.**

**The night grew old and everyone was a little tipsy and giggling near the end, I was breaking even with my chips thankfully and Slughorn took my arm to walk me back to my rooms.**

**'Delightful evening, thank you for joining us Miss Bishu, good night and pleasant dreams'.**

**The remains of the weekend passed quietly, and I secretly planned to play more violin pieces designed for piano duets to see if I could entice the Professor whom I knew would be listening across the hall into playing again. I had seen his eyes light up so briefly that night when he inspected my violin and wished my teacher the happiness he had known then so shortly.**


	8. Detention

**Chapter Eight**

**Detention **

**Monday morning I had managed to wake up before the usual call at my door, and stepped into the tiny shower. The house elves had left my school outfits neatly laundered and folded inside the armoir, and I felt perhaps today I would attempt a french braid with the extra time I had before Snape would begin knocking. I checked my watch and just before the minute hand moved I opened my door, flashing a grumpy looking professor my classic' I hate mornings - look how cheerful I am to torture you' smile. His hand lowered before he could knock even once and he immediately turned foot and strode off down the hall. I skipped along beside him enjoying my gruesome impression of a morning person.**

**We then pretended neither existed until we both headed for potions class, coffee in hand.**

**The coffee had long since worn off by my final class for the day Defense against the Dark Arts. All the desks had been pushed against the walls as I followed Emily into the room chattering about the questionable chili we had ingested for lunch.**

**Professor Snape stood as the last of us were in and shut the door, and removed the billowing black robes he normally wore and set them on his desk.**

**'Today we will begin practical applications of the theory we have studied in this past week.. actual defense.. and some practice at spells. Break off into groups of two.' **

**He stood with limited patience at the front of the room as the students whispered, maneuvering for the best partners. One Hufflepuff student was left standing alone, and I grinned and tapped Emily on the shoulder and she squeaked. **

**'Don't worry I'll be careful Em' I reassured her.**

**'Emily Watkins you will pair with Dean Holmes, I shall borrow Miss Bishu, though I have heard younger students bounce better' He instructed venomously giving a malicious smile to me. I gave her hand a squeeze and moved to stand beside the professor.**

**' Wands at the ready, first we shall learn a basic protection Spell: Protego' **

**He demonstrated a furious slash, his wand piercing the air with a whistle as he enunciated loudly for all to see and hear. The air glimmered with a shimmery blue briefly around him.**

**'Begin practicing, go ' **

**He walked up and down the aisle formed between the pairs as each student slashed at the air. Some students shouted too loudly, others were too shy and most managed no spell form at all. He repeated the spell on his return trip to the front, this time the wand whipped upwards in a gesture familiar to me, I recognized the movements from a block form in martial arts. I beamed and echoed the motion. The familiar stance and movements granted me new understanding of the spell and my confidence rose. At least until Snape stood beside me and announced that we would begin practicing stunning spells on each other. We would take turns, one shall cast 'Stupify' while the other student would try to block with 'Protego'. I was stuck defending myself against HIM, with zero chance of landing a successful attack in return.**

**After he lined everyone up, making sure crossfire would be kept to a minimum he whispered to me.**

**' We shall go first to demonstrate, I wish for your shield to be too slow, so the younger children are not afraid of a little stunning spell' **

**At least I had this face saving theory that I was losing on purpose now, my stomach roiling as we strode apart, turned to face each-other.**

**He raised his wand in the air in salute, waiting for me to do the same, and then swished it to the side at ready- and bowed to me.**

**I bowed nervously in return. **

**Old sparring experience tingled suddenly, I could feel him as my opponent now six paces away, my feet spread to a relaxed stance and as his wand raised almost as if in slow motion, my own hand twitched. I willed myself to not react, not yet..not yet..**

**' STUPIFY' He snarled, his eyes locked to mine, I could feel the air stirring in its blast towards me. NOW my head thundered, block SOME of it at least, my instincts screamed' PROTEGO' I shouted, purposely catching the last dredges of his spell and even as the world went black I had felt the trail of magic mostly slip over my form.**

**I blinked up at the ceiling a couple moments later, the professor offering an arm up, supporting me for a moment, until I bowed at him again and confused he moved back off.**

**'My turn Professor?' I chirped cheerfully at him**

**'Don't be too excited with permission to cast spells at your teacher Miss Bishu, we're likely to be sparring partners all term, ' He growled at me but also retreated to our previous positions.**

**We saluted again, wands swishing to the side. This time I had removed my over robes as well and slipped into cat stance facing the Professor.**

**I watched him for a moment, counted the length of his breath and as his nostrils flared indicating an outward breath I took a half step forward and projected my voice' STUPIFY' willing the magic forth, flicking my wrist at the last moment.**

**'PROTEGO' he countered, almost too slow, my tactic had nearly worked, but he was simply too experienced for me to outwit this way. He took a short inhale of breath sharply, and nodded respect. I bowed and stepped to the side.**

**'Now the rest of you, carefully now, as I showed you, left side attack, right side defend' He did not pace down the aisle this time, having set the students facing each other across it.**

**Several students were successful, one dropped his wand, and one lad from Gryffindor dropped and did not get up for several minutes.**

**'George?...George are you OK? I'm sorry! PROFFESSOR?!' the young lad facing his housemate George was frantic when his friend did not immediately awaken like the others.**

**'Not to worry Patrick, step aside' **

**I moved over with the rest of the students as the professor kneel beside the boys crumpled form. I watched the professor spread his hands slowly in the air over Patrick murmuring ' Ressuccio' and then repeating the gesture one more time. I watched in fascination as the boy blinked his eyes open and smiled faintly up at the professor.**

**'Alright places everyone, we will practice again, everyone switch attack and defense. Remember Healing magic is reserved for 4th year and higher' **

**He eyed me sharply, clearly recalling the conversations in the wand shop the week before.**

**The students continued their shouting back and forth, everyone seemed a bit more confident now.**

**Snape turned to appraise me' Would you like to try again Miss Bishu?' I merely smirked and turned to pace out the three steps and gave an almost insolent salute.**

**After bowing, wands at the ready, his face went almost deadly serious, close to a blank neutral, he saw last time that I could read his face and would not allow me to use it against him.**

**'Ready then?' I could tell he was taunting me, the match had already begun, it was no question.**

**I decided then since he was tempting me into a reply, I would, but as a feint' Of course Sir..PROTEGO'**

**'STUPIFY' He snapped out the spell and looked furious to see it slide off my hastily erected shield. **

**I took a step forward and to the left further away from the students, he countered with a pace inwards and to the right. Just as he was shifting his weight to the following foot I rose my wand with a flick and quietly, but forcefully whispered 'STUPIFY'**

**His counter was almost sloppy but his shield held and the spell bounced off harmlessly. Step, turn, step. The students had stopped what they were doing to watch. The professors neutral expression had slipped. He was not pleased a first year had survived to a second round, and the lines in his face reflected his grimace. He lowered his wand, but something in the way he moved to the next foot made me sure it was not over. In a flash he was shouting' Expelliarmus' and my shield, a moment slower then I expected, yet matching the longer phrase of spell better suddenly lit up and flashed a brilliant blue as his spell rebounded straight back at him. His wand went flying into the air and before I had the chance to counter he shouted again' ACCIO WAND' and my own wand slipped from my grasp and floated into his waiting hands.**

**'You CHEATED' I screeched at him, my temper momentarily lost' I had you fair and square!' He smiled then, a cold reptilian thing. He strutted off to retrieve his wand.**

**'And that class, is the purpose of our practice. Cast at the proper time the shielding spell will reflect your enemies spells back at them. It is why we don't go wandering around with protection charms up all the time instead'.**

**I was still furious as he smugly handed back my wand.**

**'Life is never fair Leanne' He bowed, and waited for my return. I bowed back stiffly, he had cheated, but he had still won. **

**I stormed back to my rooms and threw open my violin case. The music screeched my feelings of betrayal against the stone walls. Thundering and angry I poured myself into my music until I was nearly exhausted come dinner. I left before the professor could come to call.**

**Dinner hour I was withdrawn, stabbing at the potatoes I had heaped on my plate. Rosalyene, the girl I had spent hours talking with in the Slytherin common room nudged me with her arm.**

**'He's staring at you, what did you do?!' She whispered viciously in my ear and nodding at Snape.**

**His face was blank, and he was indeed staring at me, and paying no attention to his food or Professor Flitwik who had been trying to start a conversation with him.**

**I huffed at her' Nothing. I did absolutely nothing.'**

**'If he's in a foul mood tomorrow, we'll all know its your fault you know.'**

**I lost my taste for conversation and left dinner early to hide in my room until Orchestra practice.**

**That night I couldn't sleep. I was still rather angry, and being too late for music I paced within my small room.**

**Finally I could not stand the sight of those four walls any longer, and grabbing my winter cloak I slipped out into the dark hallways. I walked the empty corridors for what seemed like hours, I had left off my shoes so I might walk silently through the darkness.**

**I found myself winding up the many stairs to the astronomy tower, the air growing colder with each step. My feet had begun to cramp before I reached the final step and I sat in the middle of the rounded tower roof, rubbing warmth back into my feet. I laid back into the cloak and stared at the stars winking between the cloud cover.**

**After some time my eyes adjusted to the starlight, and instead of watching the sky I kept tracing my eyes over an unusual shadow off to the left in the corner of my eye. Finally I sat up with a chill realizing that it was not a natural shadow sitting against the stone, but a person. That person had been here before me and it was unlikely I could slip away unseen.**

**I felt for my wand tucked in my sleeve and inched it out.**

**'Whos there?' I called out softly, worried it might be some strange intruder that might do the school harm. The dark figure turned, pale skin now visible in the starlight and I recognized the face immediately.**

**'You'll be facing detentions for a week Miss Bishu, you do realize?' He seemed sad and distracted.**

**'Yes Sir'**

**Neither of us said anything after that, both of us returning to our star gazing. I finally left him in the tower and returned to my rooms. A calmness I hadn't expected had settled over me.**

**The next evening I headed for the dungeons after dinner, to stay. Fairly miserable about missing orchestra practice. I had explained to Professor Flitwik about the detentions, but he did not seemed worry about my missing practice.**

**Professor Snape was sitting behind his desk scratching away at student papers with a red inked quill.**

**' You may begin your detention Miss Bishu by removing the gum from underneath the desks, and then there's a weeks worth of flasks and potion bottles in the back sink needing to be scrubbed clean'. He did not so much as look up at me, merely continued grading papers.**

**I attacked the dry stuck wads with a vengeance, using a steel blade I would wash after, to pry off the undesirables. I was almost glad to start in on the dishes as crouching under desks bent my back at an uncomfortable angle. I hummed as I filled the sink with a soft bubbling mix of hot water and special chemicals, and squeezed on a hideous pair of rubber like gloves. It was an old lullaby, one I learned in school during Native Studies, and it distracted me from the unpleasant duties I preformed while I tried desperately to remember the words to the second verse I sung under my breath.**

**Finally complete I wandered back to the professors desk, and attempted to run a hand over my hair, which was now frazzling out of its originally neat braid.**

**'Sir?'**

**'That will be all for this evening. Perhaps some actual work will help you sleep' I could sense him lifting his head to watch me go as I turned the corner from his classroom.**

**The rest of the week in detentions left me with ridiculous make work. Including levitating the desks to wash the floor. It was stupidly difficult to keep the desk levitated while I tried to scrub underneath, and losing focus a number of times landed me several bumps on the head.**

**The hour I had before dinner to play I guarded fiercely, I thought I would go mad if I could not at least stream violently through the various pieces Flitwick had assigned. They were near unrecognizable at the speed and ferocity I attacked them with.**

**Friday during dinner I overheard Snape complaining about the noise to Headmistress Mcgonagal. I was grateful she merely chuckled and said perhaps he should consider a similar outlet.**

**I was dreading my last detention, he was truly trying to exhaust me, I had an earlier start and astronomy classes on Fridays with little sleep from the night before. He was reading some book this night when I came in, chilled from the night air. **

**'The only thing really left is the fireplace..do try not to get ashes on the floor, you did just clean it after all' His smugness was almost more then I could bear and I stomped over to the broom closet for cleaning supplies.**

**By the end I managed to get the mantle gleaming, and the only ash remaining was smudged into my clothes and skin. Several times unexpected blockages of ash had fallen down from above, causing me to have to start over, and getting in my eyes. They were quite red by the time I'd finished.**

**'Sir, if I'm done I'd like to go wash..' I coughed a bit, smudging more grime beside my nose in an attempt to push my glasses back up them.**

**The professor finally put aside his book and looked up and took in my face. That cold smirk again.**

**'Your eyes are a bit red, surely a bit of housekeeping is nothing to cry about Miss Bishu?'**

**I scowled at him, and with a tone that almost matched his dry condescending manner I answered 'Sir, it's the ash'. **

**In my head I bit down a snarky reply of 'or would you not know having never cleaned a thing in your life?' No sense in more detentions.**

**'Very well you may go, I trust that you've learned not to be caught out at all hours'. Interesting wording I noted. Not, don't be out, but rather, don't be caught.**

**The next morning was a glorious but chilly Saturday. The air was fresh enough in the dungeons that I hopped into the shower the moment I woke up to avoid the cold. I was certainly wide awake by the time I reached the great hall. Minerva was sitting with Professor Snape, she was chatting away with him companionably, even though he was rudely ignoring her trying to read the paper.**

**'Ah Miss Bishu, do come sit with me, Severus is being a usual bore' She waved me over and poured herself another tea.**

**Professor Snape sneered over his paper at me 'Letting students get above themselves are we Headmistress?'**

**'Nonsense, nonsense, this one's got a good head on her shoulders, managing to take classes with eleven year olds and not being a total bossy about it'**

**I took a seat next to her, keeping her between myself and the professor and willed muffins into being along with my morning blend.**

**' I myself would have been in endless detentions, it would have been a vicious cycle with me and Severus here, one mention of detentions from him and I'd be telling him where to stick his detentions' **

**She seemed amused by the idea of the Professor trying to tell her what to do. I put in a word here and there, enough to let Minerva continue to carry on her conversation with herself and excused myself after my muffin crumbs and cup had been whisked away by the house elves.**


	9. Unwelcome Romance

**Chapter Eight **

**Unwelcome Romance**

**That afternoon I ran into Professor Flitwik outside in the gardens while I'd been trying to get some fresh air. **

**'We're going to have a little bit of a dance at Hallow's Eve, mostly it's going to be that horrible prerecorded modern stuff, but the Orchestra would like to play at least one piece first, if I gave you a part with a bit of a solo, would you mind?' My mind raced, perhaps with a bit of attention, more students would be inclined towards the musical arts 'Sure Professor, I'd have more then a month to practice, it'll be fine.' He handed me the sheet music and I ran off excited to try the new piece.**

**I nearly slammed the door on my room, closing the latch and jumped onto my bed, proceeding to hum along with the notes, finally flipping on my back to leave my head hanging upside down over the edge of the bed and hair streaming to touch the floor beside me.**

**I got about halfway through the piece when suddenly I squeaked and my voice hit some impossible flat note as I realized what I was humming. I flipped back the the first page and scanned the title.**

**Sonovabitchitsalovesong. I cursed steadily under my breath for several minutes.**

**Yup, there was the solo at the end, though it wasn't quite a solo, I realized once I recognized the song that I would be practicing closely with a female singer from choir in order to keep in sync. That teacher knew he'd be stuffing us in with his choir group and this was how he was tricking us into agreeing!**

**I went straight upstairs to Flitwiks' office and started pounding on the door. Erik wasn't far behind me, the other Slytherin who played Bass clutching his sheets.**

**'Professor? Professor!'**

**'Stop shouting, come in' The little man looked quite ruffled as we both stormed into his office and hopped into his chair.**

**'A love song professor? seriously you expect us to practice this and then perform it in front of the student body?' Erik raged.**

**'Well yes, do you know how difficult it was to find a pace that people would dance to that wasn't completely archaic?' The professor protested waving his hands in the air.**

**'We will need you to teach us a silence charm for our rooms so we can practice in private Sir' I addressed him coldly. The last thing I wanted to do was play THIS across the hall from Snape.**

**This was brought up at Monday's practice, and we spent most of the class mastering the charm until the great hall no longer echoed with our song.**

**Tuesday evening I slammed shut the wooden door to my rooms and hastily dropped the enchantment as heavily as I could over the small space.**

**Some time later I was just finishing up when Professor Snape burst in my door and I was so startled I knocked over the small stand I had brought in for practice scattering the sheets in a flutter all over the floor.**

**'LEANNE WHAT IS THE MEANING OF..'He stopped short and actually had the decency to look embarrassed for a moment.**

**'I'd been banging on your door for nearly twenty minutes..it was the first time I can remember you hadn't been practicing since your arrival...and ...well...I see you have learned the silencing charm'.**

**I stared at him for a moment, having broken into my room, likely using magic on the feeble lock and began gathering up the scattered parchments.**

**'You're late for dinner Miss Bishu' He continued feebly. He scowled as if it were all my fault.**

**After dinner I met up with Soraila from Ravenclaw, she would be the lead singer for the piece whom I would be practicing alongside with. I was sure to give Professor Snape a dirty look as we excited the hall, we were heading to Slughorns' office, Flitwik was going to borrow his piano and study for our private practices.**

**By the end of the week there were posters everywhere about the upcoming Hallow's Eve dance and announcing the performance of Flitwiks' orchestra and choir groups. I could hear the younger students in the halls discussing who would bring whom to the dance, and all the gossip was filled with this in the weeks to come.**

**Soraila even cornered me during one of our practice sessions and asked if anyone was willing to go with me. I looked at her like she had several heads, each more hideous then the rest and she merely giggled and told me who she was going with. Professor Slughorn even chimed in at this point announcing that he would be attending with the Professor from Divination. In fact the only people he knew that had no dates thus far were Feirenze, Argus, and of course Severus who likely would not be going.**

**I hated idle gossip, I hated this social structure and pressure. I had thought that being part of the orchestra I would be expected to play, not dance, and thus would have no need of any partner. I had noticed Josua eying up Rosalyn in the common room , no chance of a rescue there.**

**These children were half my age besides.**

**The week before the dance led to an interesting opportunity, I had headed down to Slughorns' office with Soraila who was still teasing me about being too old to find a partner. As we pushed open the door to the professors office I nearly dropped my case, and stepped on Sorailas' foot by accident.**

**'Well now I know why no one's asked you to go' she tittered after kicking at my foot.**

**'Good evening Miss Oswald, Miss Bishu, Professor Flitwik has come down ill today and asked me to step in to assist in your practicing' There was Professor Snape sitting behind the piano stuffed at the back of the room, with Professor Slughorn coddling a rounded brandy snifter he held up in cheers.**

**'I've been begging Severus here to play for me since I found out from Minerva that he could, I'm so glad for this opportunity this evening!' He seemed simply delighted at his own private show and sipped some more of the amber liquid.**

**I sat down heavily on the couch retrieving my stand from the leather bag and laying out the hated music and praying it would somehow catch fire. I watched Professor Snape turn to the first page of the music and read through it quickly. I knew the primary piece he was using from the conductors set would have every word written out, and tried not to look sick to my stomach.**

**Oh yes, there was the sneer I was expecting**

**'That explains the silence charm. indeed. At least it looks simplistic, no one should be able to make too much of a fool of themselves'.**

**He reached forward and set the metronome at a steady pace and unbuttoned his sleeves slowly. I listened him run his fingers over the opening rifts, perfectly in sync with the ticking device, and then repeated back to the beginning where I lifted my bow to join him. The third play through I turned to watch Soraila begin and saw that she had flushed red and completely miss her entrance.**

**Snapes' eyes flashed up to her, then to me and nodded. We wrapped around to the beginning again to give her another chance.**

**The second time she missed her chance, making not a sound I lowered my bow.**

**'Everything alright Soraila?'**

**I asked, keeping my face passive. Gods knew I would NOT ever want to sing THOSE words with either of those men in the room. If she could have turned more pink, I'm sure she would have. I grabbed her sleeve and pulled her down to where I sat and whispered in her ear.**

**' Just look at me the whole time. I'm an ugly old woman, impress me, remind me of what it is to be young'..I let go and stood up facing the professors so she would stand and look in my direction, with her back to them.**

**I could no longer read my music sheets at this angle, but I no longer needed them. I perched the violin on my chin, and watched her take a deep breath and stand again. I nodded to Professor Snape who restarted the metronome.**

**This did leave me however awkwardly looking directly at him as she began to sing. His eyes rarely left the sheets thankfully. Her voice trilled over the notes beautifully, and even near the end as it soared she began to look her usual smug self. She knew she could sing, and well. I smiled at her encouragingly and we started over for another play through, and about halfway through I caught her eye and Winked at her. Suddenly it was as though two violins were playing, each taking a piece of melody and harmony. I'd been playing around with the sheet for weeks and couldn't stand not hearing the harmony along with my lines.**

**Snape actually lost key momentarily as he jerked his head up at the sudden distraction and then frowned fiercely at the sheet trying to reclaim his place. When Soraila and I had finished we both had the giggles.**

**'You're not bad for a Slytherin' she tittered 'Its actually a shame no one asked you to the dance'.**

**I smiled back.**

**' And you're quite good Soraila, If you were a bit more ambitious I'd almost take you for one of our own'.**

**We packed up for the evening.**

**'You know, I'd expected a Slytherin to have cornered some poor boy long before now, I always thought your lot could manipulate anyone into anything?!' I shrugged at her as she went around the corner of the corridor and followed Professor. Snape back towards our hall.**

**I stopped him just before he turned to his room 'Sir?'**

**'Yes Miss Bishu?'**

**'It would be..useful if the Head of Slytherin House made an appearance at this dance Sir, there are only two members of our House in the Orchestra and one in choir. Perhaps our numbers would grow if you pretended an interest?' **

**His dark eyes bored into mine for far too long before speaking**

**'Are you trying to manipulate me Miss Bishu?'**

**I tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile.**

**'Yes Sir, I'm quite certain I am'**

**He tilted his head and stood higher looking down at me, the torches along the hall dancing strange shadows along his face. I reached forward tentatively when he did no reply, not to touch but to appeal. He caught my wrist reflexively. He let me stand there awkwardly, looming over myself, gripping my wrist in a vice-like grip.**

**'Sir...please, I have no one to go with, would you consider attending with me?' I could feel the blood draining from my hand, and pumping too loudly through my head.**

**'I thought it was inappropriate for a teacher to have such thoughts of his students?'**

**The question pounded in my head, perhaps I had taken this too far? I'd teased this man in the beginning as he now reminded me, then attempted to best him in front of his students, even intruded in his star quest for solitude, he was a powerful wizard and his grip reminded me of this.**

**'Perhaps' I whispered' But perhaps that doesn't matter to a man who changes the rules to win'**

**I squirmed, shifting my feet, arm held for too long at an awkward height, but never breaking eye contact. Suddenly I felt his grip on my wrist change and push, my body moving backwards to compensate, feet near tripping to walk backwards even as Snape advanced, slamming my hand against my very own door and pinning my other arm between our bodies.**

**His free hand had gripped my face, thumb pressing harshly up against my jaw. I drew a sharp shaky breath in near panic, eyes wide. I could feel the heat seeping through his robes as he pressed his body up against me.**

**' You tease me too much Miss Bishu' He whispered, face inches from my own.**

**'Yes..yes Sir' **

**My breath hitched, I was terrified and yet the beast within that called me to tease him purred. His eyes burned, he did not move but to breathe, and his breath was oddly sweet, like spearmint. His face shifted near my own, noses almost brushing, and unexpectedly I found my body arching into him. It was then that something inside him broke, that which he had been restraining until I moved just so. He brought his lips crushing against mine. Scorching and bruising, yet so cold compared to his body. The ice of his fingers squeezed convulsively around my wrist, and his hand about my face lowered from my jaw, to the back of my neck, pressing us ever closer together.**

**I found myself kissing him back rabidly.**

**And just as suddenly he let go, and backed up.**

**I looked somewhat horrified I imagine, at myself, and possibly for him stopping. He looked bewildered and half mad as he blindly tried to find his door.**

**Both of our doors slammed shut that night.**

**I turned on the shower and sat down inside it, not even bothering to undress, letting the steaming water hide the tears on my cheeks. What was I thinking?! How the hell am I supposed to take classes with him now. Am I going to be expelled? God what WAS I thinking?**

**There was something about him, I was mad to even consider anything, my brain instantly using the word 'anything' to deny any specifics in any line of that thought. That man drove me barking most days, ready to burn the whole castle down around his head, and now...and now. The new unexpected effect he had had on me blew my mind.**

**It was near dawn when I finally had threw my wet clothes in the hamper and changed into a new outfit. Thank god for house elves. I had fallen asleep finally when the softest rapping at the door woke me. I was fearsomely tired, and dreading classes and..well, at least he was waking me up, almost as though everything were normal. That must be the plan. We would simply pretend nothing had ever happened.**

**I opened the door.**

**He looked paler then usual, the dark lines under his eyes more pronounced, it seems he hadn't slept much either. I searched his eyes for a moment, he seemed so withdrawn, and melancholy. I let go of the door frame and made to follow him to breakfast.**

**'I want to apologize for last night' His words were soft and gravelly, none of their customary sneer.**

**'oh...no, it was my fault truly' I stared at the floor as we walked.**

**I snuck glances up at him, disturbed by his tired demeanor. I don't know what made me say it, except perhaps some crazed thinking that if I made him angry he would go back to his usual self.**

**'So...does that mean you won't be going to the dance then?'**

**He certainly snapped much as I expected 'WHAT?' 'Salazar's beard! Woman you are impossible!' and he struck off down the hallway in a stride that was too quick for me to keep up.**

**I didn't bother, I stopped to smile as he disappeared.**


	10. A Note of Surrender

**Chapter Nine**

**A Note of Surrender**

**He was in a dangerous mood throughout the day, he had even taken points from his own house during Defense against the Dark Arts when one of the students accidentally missed his partner and sent Snape's wand spiraling across the room.**

**That evening I had wandered back up for Orchestra practice forgetting what night of the week it was. Usually I was in the library or common room this night. I found the Great Hall empty except for loud angry music echoing and rattling the stained glass of the windows. I was curious, I'd never heard professor Flitwick play out of class, and the piano sounded different.**

**I stopped near the back of the room catching my breath as I finally puzzled out what was wrong with the scene. My ears did indeed detect a different piano. This was a beautiful grand black piano, unlike the silly apartment-sized one Flitwick used for practice to keep us in tune. It must have been delivered for the Dance this coming Friday.**

**The other thing of note was the speed of the music shattering along the walls, I agreed with Professor Flitwiks' assessment that he was no master of the instrument. **

**No, there was Snape pounding away at the keys, his robes had slid off the bench where he'd obviously laid them and now pooled on the floor. His hair was most wild at this point, several times earlier he had absently shoved it from his eyes paying no mind to the direction is stuck. At this point I could tell he was so absorbed in the music I could approach without disturbing him. I walked slowly across the hall, stepping carefully to make no noise until I stood behind the majestic instrument and rested my hands along its glossy finish. Beethoven's rage continued to pour as I watched breathlessly until it finally echoed into quiet.**

**I clapped, my face lit with delight, having forgotten everything from before.**

**He finally noticed me and sneered' You again?' He clearly hadn't forgotten.**

**'What do you want?' He wiped his brow with a sleeve, he had actually begun to sweat during the performance.**

**'Play something for me?' I asked**

**'What?!' Incredulous of my demand**

**I purposely mistook the meaning and gave him my request**

**'You like Beethoven, play Moonlight Sonata, its the one piano song I'd always wanted to learn!'**

**'Fine if it'll get rid of you' He growled.**

**His hands started rippling gently over the ivories and within moments I could see him begin to relax. It was a long piece, and I moved around to the front to watch where he placed his fingers, trying to learn as he went. At one point he moved over on the bench, making room for me to sit down.**

**'I'd heard from Flitwik that you wished to learn?' He murmured softly, engrossed in his work.**

**'Oh very much yes'**

**He paused nearing the end of the song.**

**'Very well I will teach you' he stood and walked around behind me, his long hands moving my hands to the keys and I scootched closer to the middle. 'Like this..' He showed me the opening chord and then played the melody line.**

**I managed to get through the first couple bars with no horrible mishaps, but then quickly lost track of the right hand playing the chords while focusing on the melody. After correcting me several times and fixing the placement of my hands over and over he seemed to be getting frustrated again. I couldn't help but laugh.**

**' I should have told you, I'm absolutely terrible at the piano. Here You do the bass line and I'll play treble, I can sight read just let me find the music'.**

**He growled his acceptance and sat back down beside me.**

**We got through the sheet music much further then before when the bass line suddenly moved through my section of the keyboard where I was sitting and he ran right into my arm with his own which made all sorts of horrible notes that were never meant to happen.**

**'No no, we have to switch lines here' I giggled at him and after we backed up a couple bars we managed to pick up where we left off and swapped lines back and forth throughout the piece whenever we would end up in the others territory.**

**'You may be a brilliant violinist Miss Bishu but you are indeed terrible at piano' He was smiling ever so slightly. He took over the keys as I lost my place -the piece had started getting into ridiculous notes and he finished the song off with bravado.**

**I bid him goodnight after the last note died and excused myself from the Great Hall, unwilling to let the strange spell between us allowing truce, to end.**

**We spoke little the remainder of that week, and the moment dinner ended on Friday I bolted from the hall to my rooms to begin to change. Astronomy was canceled this evening as the whole school would be attending the gathering.**

**After several unsuccessful attempts to do up the back of my new dress I gave up, stuffed it in my bag and ran off to the Slytherin common room.**

**'Rosalyn, Rosalyn where are you I need your help!' I shouted, and everyone in the entrance way jumped as I barged through the room and upstairs to the girls dormitory.**

**I suppose it was to be expected that they were all getting ready for the dance. I explained the situation to her and she seemed only too happy to help though I had to endure teasing suggestions that perhaps I was too fat for my dress. At least, until it was on, and I started braiding the front section of my hair into a twisting crown that cascaded over the remaining length I left free in the back. I stood and twirled for them to admire. It was a close fitting black number that flared just at the knees to allow free movement, with sleeves that slit at the elbow and left gorgeous material draping over my arms.**

**Rosalyn scowled jealously and made me promise to help her with her hair. Finally the both of us dressed I told her I had to leave now and get in place. She grabbed my arm just as I turned to leave.**

**'I appreciate that you came to me. It means a lot'. **

**I beamed a smile at her' Thank you, but I really do have to run.'**

**There was random music playing as the musicians and choir made their way into the front of the great hall. The lights were low, but each student had placed their wands on their stands so they provided a small illumination needed to read the sheets.**

**We had all settled by the time the rest of the students had filtered into the room.**

**Flitwik faded the music once Headmistress McGonagall stepped up to the microphone placed for Soraila at the front.**

**'Good evening students, and happy Hallow's Eve' There were some ruckus cheering and catcalls given.**

**'Tonight our young musicians have prepared something, that even you could agree to dance to. Grab a partner, don't be shy, enjoy the performance!' **

**She stepped out of the spotlight and made to where she had left some mysterious well dressed gentleman waiting. Hagrid drew some giant of a woman that dwarfed even him from the crowd to the middle of the dance floor, Minerva and the gentleman followed suit and eventually some nervous tittering students took their lead.**

**Flitwick raised his wand for us to begin.**

**Soraila was brilliant, I could see her staring at a particular young lad hiding in the back. I spotted Professor Snape unexpectedly sitting in the seats reserved for teachers and their guests along the side wall.**

**Our song closed to loud cheering from staff and students alike and we all shuffled our things away so we could join the party. A strange folksy song came on I didn't recognize, only half listening while I packed away my violin into my bag. The chorus caught my ear, and suddenly an impish plan developed.**

**I ran over to greet the Slytherin teachers, purposely leaving Snape for last, and leaned in to whisper to him.**

**' Promise me one dance' I demanded breathlessly**

**'What's that Miss Bishu?' I enjoyed the startled look on his face that turned quickly to scowl when I repeated my demand. 'Would you like me to repeat that more loudly Sir?' I grinned evilly. 'Fine FINE you horrible girl.'**

**I scampered off before he could think of some way to weasel his way out of it. I went over to congratulate Soraila on her performance before rejoining my own housemates in what had become the Slytherin corner. After sneaking a look to see that he hadn't just left, but was sitting with his arms folded looking cross, I went and approached Flitwik.**

**'Professor I have a favor to ask Sir, can you play' I whispered the song in his ear. He was happy to oblige what he considered one of his star students.**

**After several more quick paced songs that had everyone on the floor, the girls dancing together in packs, with the occasional lad braving his way to dance with random girls who seemed game.**

**The ambiance changed, it grew quiet for a moment, the usual indication for a slow song. The young folks scrambled to find their abandoned partners, and into the first few strains of sound I knew it was the requested song. I made my way over to the professor.**

**He stood up frowning at me, and stiffly held out his arm.**

**We walked into the crowd of slowly moving couples, giving Hagrid and his Missus a wide berth. He aped the mechanical motions of others, taking my waist and hand. The song was just too slow for formal dancing, I had rested my head against his chest and moved my other arm up about his neck, when he gingerly placed his other hand about my waist as well.**

**I had chosen the song carefully, it was soft and melodic, and I knew the haunting piano would call to him. By the second verse he had finally relaxed and set his cheek against my head. We stepped aimlessly for a time and I think he let the words seep in.**

**When the song faded we stood for half a moment in the quiet, before a new blaring piece of modern pop music broke the reverie and he quickly excused himself.**

**I returned to the Slytherin girls waiting, each whispering furiously to each other trying not to point. One of the older girls had actually slapped the hand of a younger that had pointed.**

**'What was THAT?!' Rosalyn's friend Marietta grabbed me and whispered loudly.**

**I smirked before responding.**

**' Oh that ? was a bit of blackmail, I found out a small secret and swore I'd tell the whole school if he didn't dance with me at least once.' I looked around at the boys trying to listen in but too scared of the girls to come close enough 'I couldn't get a dance partner any other way, look at all these little sheep?!' I made a move to jump at them, and the boys shrieked and backed off, the girls all giggling cruelly at their expense and thinking my ploy a clever joke.**

**'A true Slytherin after all then my dear' Rosalyene spoke up.**

**Snape had disappeared from the party, but I was content to sit out the rest of the slow dances. No one else had such an outrageous partner as I had.**

**When I returned to my rooms that evening the light in his room was still on, and I could hear the same song we had been dancing to earlier playing ever so softly.**

**I vowed to ask him about it in the morning.**


	11. The Enchanter's Dilemma

**Chapter Ten **

**The Enchanter's Dilemma**

**The next morning however he was gone from the school. I had my usual weekend breakfast with Minerva and asked her instead. I had been told before arriving at Hogwarts that most muggle technology did not function around magic, something about the vibrations would mess up the circuitry, but I could think of no explanation otherwise on how he would have a modern song within his collection- surely there hadn't been any records published? **

**'Well I am of no use when it comes to any form of muggle technology, but if anyone's found a way to do it, he would have. Perhaps he asked Filius?' she had agreed with my assessment from the night before.**

**It wasn't until Sunday evening that I noticed his light was on under the door. I rapped quietly. He opened his door in his dressing gown and bathrobe and growled threateningly at me 'I'd ask what you wanted Miss Bishu, but that road leads to blackmail'. **

**I suppose it wasn't the best time to ask for a favor.**

**'Umm Sir..a question' I tried to look contrite.**

**'Can you somehow make a way for muggle technology to work?'**

**I looked down at the floor as he glared at me.**

**'Yes.' He said and promptly slammed the door in my face.**

**I sighed defeated and slumped against my door. I would get up and go to bed in a minute, just I needed a moment to collect myself.**

**Unexpectedly his door opened again.**

**'Why' His expression strangely neutral from before and his question toneless.**

**'Sir? oh..I just wanted to use my laptop, and possibly alarm clock' I had brightened hopefully.**

**'No...'**

**It was my turn to look confused**

**'Why did you want me to dance with you?'**

**I stammered for a moment caught off guard by the question**

**'I don't know Sir, why does anyone want to dance with anyone?'**

**'I don't know either' He said gruffly and proceeded to open the door to my room and step over me.**

**I managed to get up and watch him.**

**He approached my desk and pulled his wand from his robe coat pocket.**

**'It's called a Null Field.. it is used on the prisons of Azkaban to prevent prisoners from Disapparating, amongst other things' He showed me very delicate wand movements and made me repeat the charm back three times to be sure I got every syllable correct.**

**'Let me see your laptop' He commanded and I retrieved it from under the bed.**

**He placed another enchantment of some form on it, and the alarm clock I also held out to him.**

**'Now it will not require power, not the traditional muggle sort anyways'**

**'Oh thank you Sir, this means so much!' my eyes were near wet with relief and gratefulness, I'd be able to talk to my mother as soon as I could find an internet connection. **

**I reached out without thinking and placed a hand on his arm. His eyes flashed darkly as he turned to stare me down. I moved my hand away as if burned. Without blinking he grabbed the edge of my open door, and stood there indecisively for a moment before pushing it shut gently. Then quick as a serpent he twisted his body square with mine and grabbed me mid arms and lifted me, shoving me against my very door until I slid slowly down to where my toes could touch the ground again.**

**He seemed so angry then and he shook me whispering harshly' Why do you do this? Have you not figured out what your touch does to me?' slamming my head against the door again to mark his words in his rage.**

**I was frightened this time, I had not intended to provoke him at all, I was trying to be so careful I whimpered' I'm sorry, I didn't know, I didn't mean to..I'm sorry..'tears leaked from my eyes. His hands moved roughly to my shoulders as if to brace himself away from me and still pin me to the door. But it did leave my hands free. Part of me was still scared, and urged me to be still, not to move, the demons would pass and he would leave me.**

**But the healer in me whispered, this tormented soul needed my touch, he wants this as much as you do. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were closed.**

**I tentatively raised my hand, and his eyes opened to fixate upon it.**

**'Would it make a difference if I wanted to..?' I moved my hand closer to his face. It seemed to almost glow, blue tracings of magic sparked.**

**'Would it help if I meant for this?' I placed my hand next to his cheek as if to cup his face, if he moved even slightly, we would touch.**

**He jerked back releasing me, his voice sounding hoarse' Let me go' The irony that I was now blocking the only exit was not lost.**

**'Let me GO' he shouted after I had not yet moved. 'I want no part of this game'.**

**'Sir? This..there is no game' I spoke as soothingly as possible.**

**He moved threateningly towards me only to back off again afraid to make contact fretting like a caged animal.**

**'Get out of the way'**

**I could see no way to calm him, so I started edging carefully out of the way, I lowered my head 'If that is your wish Sir..'**

**He sprinted for the opening and disappeared shutting the door behind him.**

**I sank to the floor and hugged my knees. I didn't even fully understand what had just happened. Did I just use magic accidentally and drive him away? Why did I even want this? Why do I feel so hollow now. I rocked back and forth letting my tears leak over my robes.**

**What if it was me? What if his words meant something different? Perhaps there was something dangerous in my touch that sent men mad, perhaps that was why my family was cursed? What if I was causing these horrible things to happen to the Professor.**

**The next morning I set out to find Professor Slughorn, the other Slytherin Potion master, extremely knowledgeable and most likely to keep a secret.**

**'Professor I need your help' I broached the topic warily.**

**'Yes yes, what is it my dear child?' His tone made me smile, even as a full grown woman he treated me as a child, that made this the perfect experiment.**

**'I need to...try something. This is going to sound so very strange'**

**'Go on then what is it you need?' The old man twinkled happy to be included in some mysterious experiment.**

**'I just need to touch your hand for a moment. I know that sounds weird, but I want to see what happens if I make physical contact, and tell me if anything strange happens to you'.**

**'Oh?' he seemed quite amused as he held out the back of his hand for me. I touched him quickly, then searched his face. No change from the amusement. I placed a finger on the back of his hand and stared at him for a moment.**

**'Nothing then? No...odd impulses?' I asked.**

**'I have no earthly idea what you're talking about my dear' Slughorn continued merrily.**

**He pressed for details and I made up some story about accidentally running into a boy in the hall, my hand glowing blue and then the random boy trying to kiss me. I couldn't very well tell him the truth, but I needed answers.**

**'Must have been just some strange boy, not sure why your hand glowed though'' Perhaps it was some sort of prank?' He was honestly trying to be helpful I could tell, and all I could do was nod agreement. There was no way this was a prank. I headed off for breakfast.**

**There were no answers until later in the week during Defense against the Dark arts.**

**We were practicing levitating our opponents when suddenly one of the boys dropped. The caster had lost concentration and the poor boy landed badly, flat on his face. His nose didn't seem broken thankfully, but it had started to bleed.**

**I grabbed a tissue from inside my bag and rushed over to sit beside him.**

**The Professor knelt at the boys other side and examined his face 'Nothing broken, you'll be fine in a few moments' He trailed off as I lifted the tissue to the boys face and my hand began to glow blue again.**

**The professor was carefully not looking at me even though the boy gingerly took the handkerchief and pinched at his nose, my hand had stopped glowing.**

**'Looks like you cannot help but want to heal everyone Miss Bishu'**

**He dismissed class and made me wait for everyone to leave.**

**'I think I misunderstood your Magicks the other day Miss Bishu, if you would allow me I want to try a small experiment?'**

**I swallowed uncertainly but nodded.**

**He motioned to one of the benches along the edge of the classroom and sat down beside me.**

**'If this works, this will answer many question, if not, no harm done' I had no idea what he was talking about, but watched him slide the snake clasp pin from the top of his many buttons along his robe.**

**He then twitched its sharp edge in a flash across the back of his hand with a hiss. I sucked in a breath as I saw it start to bleed, and looked up at him in concern. He moved his hand in front of my arms nearly into my lap**

**' Heal it Miss Bishu' He said softly**

**'But I have no idea how to heal' I protested reaching up to push his hand away. My hand was definitely glowing again.**

**He finally grabbed my glowing hand and slapped it roughly on top of his own. I could feel the small squelch of the blood under my palms and I winced. There was a slight tingle, and I lifted my hand. But for the blood already spilled the wound was completely gone.**

**'Slytherins true blood' Snape whispered under his breath as a prayer.**

**He said nothing after for some time, just sat there staring at his hand, and twisting the pin in the other.**

**' I owe you an apology' **

**'That night I was convinced you were spelling me, I thought deliberately at the time, then considered later perhaps not deliberately, some mad scheme for power..' His words drifted sifting through the excuses in his mind**

**'I'm sorry Leanne, you were unknowingly trying to heal me, I'm the crazy monster, not you.'**

**I grabbed his hand and started wiping off the blood with my sleeve as he attempted through his apologies.**

**'I don't fully understand what's going on Sir, but I don't think you're crazy, and certainly not a monster. Never a monster' I started dabbing the cloth of my sleeve with my tongue and with what I thought was a motherly gesture continued cleaning the blood that had dried on.**

**Part of me was amazed he had let me attend him in this manner, and when I had finished I took advantaged of what seemed to now be his stunned silence and crooked my fingers around his and gave his hand a squeeze. His head was down, and with his hair blocking his face I could not tell what was going on within him.**

**'You remind me of another' The words finally came, hoarsely at first. I did not let go of his hand.**

**'Many years ago there was one who was kind, and beautiful, and brilliant. She was a Gryffindor, all that is brave and true, and in the end she followed another Gryffindor.'**

**'I'm not sure she ever really knew..'**

**'and YOU, you are a Slytherin, I knew Slytherin girls when I was younger, oh yes. They snaked their way to the top, no shame, they would use you and drop you and their cruelty had no bounds..'**

**'Logically the truth must be you are using me as well'**

**He returned to silence.**

**After a time I asked him 'Do you know any magic that would assure you of truth? unquestionably incontrovertibly?'**

**No response for several moments**

**then 'Yes.'**

**'I could brew a potion of Veritasyrum, that would take weeks..or..'**

**'But it is dangerous, and dark, and I would be thrown out from Hogwarts if it was ever discovered I had used it on a student'.**

**I gripped his hand tighter' Do it' I whispered.**

**His face was very white and uncertain when he finally looked up at me. He took his wand from his robes and set the pin aside.**

**'It is called the Unbreakable Vow'**

**His hands were shaking minutely.**

**I looked him in the eye. 'And what aren't you telling me?'**

**He looked away 'If you break this vow, it will kill you'. He held his wand in his lap with both hands, gripping it as if to snap it in two.**

**'I will do this' I murmured willing my voice to be loud enough for him to hear me.**

**He took a deep breath and stood, holding out his left arm and gestured for me to do the same. Our arms locked, grasping tightly as he waved his wand muttering incantations, I could see a black vine creeping over and around our arms and hands locking us together.**

**'If you are sure, repeat after me.' I nodded.**

**'I Leanne Fredericks Bishu, do so swear'**

**'To speak no word untrue'**

**'For the period of one hour, beginning now'.**

**I could feel the magic spilling over the edges of the black vine seeping in. He sat back down almost woodenly, wiping his palms against his robes.**

**'Be VERY very careful how you speak for the next hour, if you are not 100% certain of an answer, speak not at all.' He warned me grimly.**

**I nodded. I was wondering if he was going to ask me questions, but he just sat there silently.**

**'I have never lied to you Sir'.**

**He looked at me as though worried for me, clearly uncomfortable. 'That's good to know' he managed to agree.**

**'I must confess I wish to know everything you know, what every wizard ever knows, and will do almost anything within my power to that end'..He nodded woodenly, I knew those words were that which he dreaded. 'However I do not see you as a means to an end' He stole another glace at me shrewdly deciphering the words.**

**'I have plotted against you' He was now scowling at the floor gripping his wand again.**

**'Such plots as trying to make you smile, for you to notice how eager I am to learn things from you that I sit quietly and wait for you to speak, I coerced you into dancing with me for entirely selfish reasons that I am having trouble feeling any regret over. I do not fully understand my own reasons, but the reasons did not involve humiliating you, and my aims were not to cause you pain'.**

**His knuckles were white from gripping the wand and I was almost sure he would snap the thing.**

**'I understand now there is something broken in you, and that my hand glowed that night because I wished to fix it. But understand that is NOT my only interest in you. I also desi..' The professor shoved himself off the bench and started pacing 'ENOUGH, I don't want to hear anymore'..'enough I beg you' he whispered the last.**

**'Sacred blood I can't take any more of this, I should never have done this'.**

**'I have no intention on causing you harm, or humiliation in any way..'**

**'I have no intention of telling anyone about this Sir, I wanted this. I want you to trust me when I tell you what I want'**

**'STOP TALKING you silly girl' he shouted at me and resumed his pacing.**

**'Sir?'**

**He whirled on me suddenly brandishing his wand**

**'STUPIFY'**

**Everything faded to black.**


	12. Enchanter's Touch

**Chapter Eleven**

**Enchanter's Touch**

**I awoke later in my room for some reason fully clothed staring up at the ceiling. There was a damp cloth lying across my forehead and my door was ajar.**

**'Sir? Professor?' I called out.**

**Professor Snape entered my small room and shut the door, pulling the chair from my writing desk over beside the bed. He re-dipped the cloth into a small bowl and wrung it out, putting it back on my head.**

**'How are you feeling Miss Bishu?' His face was calm and neutral, forgotten almost was the torment from before.**

**'Is the hour over Sir?' I winced as he dabbed with the damp cloth.**

**'Yes it is.'**

**'Then I feel just fine Sir' I chuckled and winced again.**

**'Never lie to me Miss Bishu' he murmured softly and continued his ministrations.**

**'I brought you some dinner, you missed it' He gestured to a tray sitting by the small hearth fire.**

**I sat up gingerly, and ignoring his protestations went for my bag. I grabbed the mug of water from the tray and cast a small incantation -in a moment it bubbled merrily while I retrieved a smaller bag from within the leather sack and pulled out still a smaller satchel of herbal tea and dropped it into the boiling water.**

**'Willow, and licorice root, mostly to hide the flavor of willow' I explained. 'It'll fix my headache'.**

**'I see, and you made this?' He seemed to be following my lead in the conversation.**

**'Yes I brought a number of teas from home, would you like me to make you one?'**

**'I suppose' He seemed distracted, staring into the fire**

**I fished around and sniffed through several packages until I found the one I wanted.**

**'Accio Cup, Aguamenti' The professor muttered over the retrieved mug and handed the cup of water to me.**

**I handed it back steaming after only a few seconds.**

**He absently took a sip and then eyed me suddenly 'What's in this?!'**

**I chuckled.**

**' So NOW you ask. Sir, that's chamomile, to calm the nerves, and blueberry'**

**'For taste I presume?' he said taking another sip**

**I couldn't help myself 'that and its considered a powerful aphrodisiac Sir' **

**I laughed as he spit it back into his cup and turned snarling 'WHAT?' **

**'By muggles Sir' still chuckling 'the last bit is only true if you listen to the kind of muggles that would also tell you kissing frogs is how you get warts'**

**"The blueberry is partially for taste, and because blueberries contain antioxidants which clear away the bad stuff in your blood'**

**I had gotten at least halfway through my tea and had already felt better.**

**'You certainly know your herbs'**

**'Some of them, yes Sir'**

**He pressed the plate of food on me, threatening to forcefeed me if I did not eat.**

**So I ate.I awoke later in my room for some reason fully clothed staring up at the ceiling. There was a damp cloth lying across my forhead and my door was ajar.**

**'Sir? proffessor?' I called out.**

**Proffessor Snape entered my small room and shut the door, pulling the chair from my writting desk over beside the bed.**

**He redipped the cloth into a small bowl and wrung it out, putting it back on my head.**

**'How are you feeling Miss Bishu?' His face was calm and neutral, forgotten almost was the torment from before.**

**'Is the hour over Sir?' I winced as he dabbed with the damp cloth.**

**'Yes it is.'**

**'Then I feel just fine Sir' I chuckled and winced again.**

**'Never lie to me Miss Bishu'**

**he murmured softly and continued his minstrations.**

**'I brought you some dinner, you missed it' He gestured to a tray sitting by the small hearthfire.**

**I sat up gingerly, and ignoring his protestations went for my bag.**

**I grabbed the mug of water from the tray and cast a small incantation' -in a moment it bubbled merrily while I retrieved a smaller bag from within the leather sack and pulled out still a smaller satchel of herbal tea and dropped it into the boiling water.**

**'Willow, and licorice root, mostly to hide the flavor of willow' I explained. 'It'll fix my headache'.**

**'I see, and you made this?' He seemed to be following my lead in the conversation.**

**'Yes I brought a number of teas from home, would you like me to make you one?'**

**'I suppose' He seemed distracted, staring into the fire**

**I fished around and sniffed through several packages until I found the one I wanted.**

**'Accio Cup, Aguamenti' The proffessor muttered over the retrived mug and handed the cup of water to me.**

**I handed it back steaming after only a few seconds.**

**He absently took a sip and then eyed me suddenly 'Whats in this?!'**

**I chuckled' and NOW you ask. Sir, that's chammomile, to calm the nerves, and blueberry'**

**'For taste I presume?' he said taking another sip**

**I couldn't help myself 'that and its considered a powerful aphrodesiac Sir' I laughed as he spit it back into his cup and turned snarling 'WHAT?' **

**'By muggles Sir' still chuckling 'the last bit is only true if you listen to the kind of muggles that would also tell you kissing frogs is how you get warts'**

**"The blueberry is partially for taste, and because blueberries contain antioxidents which clear away the bad stuff in your blood'**

**I had gotten at least halfway through my tea and had already felt better.**

**'You certainly know your herbs'**

**'Some of them, yes Sir'**

**He pressed the plate of food on me, threatening to force feed me if I did not I ate. He was still sitting on the chair beside my bed staring at the fire when I had finished.**

**I could tell it was getting late and was annoyed by the mans' morose mood as he took up space staring at my fire. I briefly considered throwing my pillow at him, but then a better idea occurred.**

**I took off my outer robes and hung them inside the armior. I sat on the edge of the bed and untied my shoes kicking them under. Finally I let my hair down and spent some time brushing it. It wasn't until I pushed my skirt up the length of my thigh to remove my stockings that the professor finally turned and barked**

**'What ARE YOU doing?!'**

**'Well you weren't talking so I thought I'd just go to bed' I smirked at him and proceeded to roll the stocking down and chuck it into a corner.**

**I had just moved my hands to reach for the other side of my skirts when he swatted them away' Good heavens stop that' He snarled.**

**'Well tell me what's wrong or go mope in front of your own fire' I countered**

**'Whats wrong?! what's wrong is you could have died today. and all because I wanted to hear how horrible and loathsome and depraved you were so I could bloody well sleep at night'.**

**I let him shout for some time of his remorse**

**'Sir, you would never have bothered with the spell if you thought I would tell you terrible things.**___**I **_**asked **_**you **_**, remember?'**

**The urge to reach out caused my arm to twitch. I shifted and purposely sat on my hands.**

**'If you thought I was truly depraved you would never have given me such ammunition against you that could have gotten you thrown out'.**

**'Trust is dangerous Sir, it always will be, magical or not'**

**I leaned forward to watch the fire with him.**

**He stirred, 'Give me your hand Miss Bishu' He sat up and turned his full gaze upon me, brown eyes turned to black coals in the low light. I unburied my hands from under my legs and stretched out my left, palm up. He snatched my hand and pulled it up to his face, I let out a small gasp and clenched my fingers tight at the sudden movement.**

**'You may say if you wish me to stop'**

**He held my hand there, the small of my wrist just touching the tip of his nose. He closed his eyes and gently pulled my hand down, the cold skin mingled with his warm breath and he nudged my fingers. They slowly uncurled so that my fingertips were now touching his face and sliding down as they grazed his skin. I bit into my lip and gently touched his lips as he seemed to be inhaling my scent. His other hand grabbed my arm and twisted the limb until the soft underside of my flesh was pulled against his cheek. He opened his mouth then to breathe hot moistness and grazed his teeth along my skin. He pressed the fleshy part of my thumb against his cheek and slowly rubbed his face against it. I could feel my fingertips tangle in his hair and I moved them purposefully along his neck and under his chin. It was almost a bizarre ritual, this sensuous but carefully controlled touching.**

**I tentatively lifted my free hand, reached out and placed it on his own which was grasping my arm. With the slightest of pressures I tugged at his hand to see if he would willingly relinquish it. It took a more insistent tug before he let his hand come away with mine. I held his cold hand against my face just as he had begun, though his own wrist was hidden underneath the tight wool sleeves, his hands being much larger could easily engulf every inch of the skin of my face. I relished in his long fingers touching my cheeks and mimicked the way he inhaled my scent, suddenly curious at this new sharing of the senses.**

**His hands smelled of that horrible soap from the laboratory that burned the skin -with an underlying scent of flesh and maleness. A year ago I'm not sure I would have smelled anything but that soap, perhaps this was a new manifestation of magics? I did not know but something in me agreed with identifying his scent.**

**I propped his hand in the air and curled fingers over so I could explore the back, the gnarled knuckles and parchment skin. He was lost rubbing his own face against my flesh and scent while I traced my fingers along his own. There was thousands of tiny scars intermingled, some cuts and burns barely registered against the white of his skin in the firelight.**

**I pulled it closer, breathed on his fingertips as though to warm them. His hand flexed and I could hear a strangled sound vibrate within his throat. I smiled and blew on them again and was rewarded with a bit more teeth as he rubbed his mouth with catlike affection across my flesh.**

**I could sense the warmth stirred him, roguishly I flicked the tip of my tongue across his knuckles. His fingernails bit into my flesh as he froze, he had just moved his mouth back up to the beginning of my palm. Once out of shock his tongue followed suit rasping across the flesh of my palm leaving a hot wet trail.**

**I retraced his knuckles and then slid my tongue alongside his ring finger, circling the tip and then placing a gentle breathless kiss there. He had began suckling on the flesh of my thumb when I pressed my kiss from gentle to rough, then slowly let his finger enter my mouth. He shifted forward in the chair arching his back and bit down on my flesh with a bestial growl.**

**Whilst suckling on his finger my free hand started fiddling with the buttons to his sleeve. They were tricky and I was quite distracted before I finally managed one, and then another.**

**I trailed kisses from his finger, to his thumb, to the flesh of his wrist as I undid the buttons along the bruised looking blue veins contrasting with his ivory skin. The buttons began to reveal dark ink, the head of a snake. I was curious and undid the black wool buttons faster now. It seemed almost out of character for this studious professor who seemed to care so little for his appearance to have such a detailed piece of art engraved thus. The snake coiled around, and poured forth from the mouth of a skull, the snake I could almost understand, a mark of pride for Slytherin, but the skull? Perhaps some offshoot of his youth, some odd Quiddich team perhaps, I barely knew anything of wizarding sports, and apparently also this man.**

**I bent to kiss the mark when he suddenly released my hand and thrust his fingers into my hair yanking my head back' DO NOT' He snarled savagely, his eyes open and blazing anger into mine.**

**I had expected his cruel fingers pulling at my head to hurt, but as I was already excited it only caused my scalp to tingle. I'm sure my face reflected a trace of fear and lack of understanding for then his face softened and he whispered again 'do not'**

**My mind raced, these were the kind of moments from before, this chasm of ignorance that dropped between us that somehow ended with him running away. My hands remembering their freedom took charge. I thrust them both into his hair, and gripped yanking him just as savagely to me**

**'Then kiss me instead'**

**I could not bend him to me, but I struggled to move to him, his hand pinioning my head by a fistful of hair ached, and still I struggled til I'm certain both our scalps hurt.**

**I thought he was about to leave as he stood, dragging me up with him by my hair, still gloriously red from the dance and shimmering in the flames reflected light. I lost hold of his raven tresses and grabbed blindly at his robes to gain balance.**

**His free hand produced his wand and he turned his head to my door' Colloportus' he whispered and then tossed his wand over to land on my writing desk.**

**He released my hair and smoothed it down, then wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a soft embrace. He placed his chin on my head and whispered' Now I am just a man, deeply flawed perhaps, but only human'**

**It reminded me of our dance**

**I let him hold me for some time and then gently pushed him to arms length so I could look up at his face. I smiled at him, pushed up on my toes and kissed just below his mouth, which was as close as I could get without him bending to me.**

**His lips curled into a gentle smile, one of the first I'd ever seen. I touched his face, and traced the lines of his smile.**

**'And now you are beautiful' I said to him**

**'Beautiful?' His brows furled but he kept his smile, though it went from gentle to amused.**

**His eyes had actually mellowed into a honey brown, his back to the fire they seemed alight even as his face was cast in shadow. I grabbed his right arm, and smiled shyly at him, beginning to undo the buttons on this sleeve.**

**His left hand fumbled with the long silver snake pin which he tossed to join his wand, and then pried at the buttons unsuccessfully. He had managed one by the time I had undone his other sleeve, briefly caressing the skin, but finding no other marks.**

**'Please Sir, let me' I reached up to take over the buttons for his collar.**

**He lowered to one knee while my hands followed plucking at his buttons. His hands grasped about my knee, tracing upwards along my remaining stocking. He poked at the garter snap until he figured out its mechanism, and gently pulled it off. I sat back on the bed to regain my balance.**

**My hands were mid chest now, he rose to make access to the rest of the buttons which followed the black wool down to the floor. He placed one hand in my hair, purposely tangling within it and reveling in its feel as my fingers worked their way down.**

**They seemed to catch a sudden snag, his fingers, as did his breath as I worked past the buttons near his waist, and only untangled as I slid off the bed to my knees to undo the last buttons near the floor.**

**My hands gently parted his robes and caressed his calves. I ran my hands upwards , the motion parting the wool and revealing his form underneath. Black cotton boxers began mid thigh and shifted, his barely hidden erection pulsed while I pushed my hands along his waist, rising from the floor my cheek neared his warm skin.**

**His waist revealed a soft linen white undershirt that wrapped him to his collarbone. He shrugged the rest of the way out of his robes and let them pool on the floor with my forgotten sock.**

**I let go of him now to unzip my skirt from the back, and let it fall away. His hands seized forward and grabbing the edges of my school shirt tried to pull it forcibly over my head, leaving me squirming to try and help him get my head through the opening. He had pulled me up and close to him in the struggles, cupping the bare skin of my back while yanking the material away.**

**Perhaps the sight of my skin, so much of my skin, but for emerald green lace bra and panties unnerved him, because he suddenly let go and stepped backwards with a shaky breath.**

**I lost balance and fell backwards onto the bed with a laugh.**

**He seemed so unsure in that moment, with neither of us very clothed that he just stood there. He watched me with his eyes partially shut, taking in my form from under his dark lashes and silhouetted by the fire. His gaze burned my skin and I felt any shyness melt away.**

**I stretched catlike on the bed.**

**He couldn't seem to move, so I rolled over and arched onto my knees, and peered over my shoulder at him while my fingers unclasped the straps of my bra.**

**His hands twitched forwards as if to help, but I raised a finger and with my naughtiest smile I wagged it at him.**

**'I want your clothes off Sir' I chewed on my lip in a way I knew was sexy and would entice him to want to chew on it himself.**

**I threw the bra at his face.**

**He caught it and then dropped it as if it were dangerous and stared hard at it on the floor. He seemed to suddenly remember my request and tore at his shirt in a hurry to remove it.**

**I rolled over back onto my back and stuck my thumbs into the green waistband of my panties and waited for him to start fumbling with his own boxers. When he finally stood completely unclothed before me I started sliding them down teasingly slow.**

**I could not take my eyes off him.**

**His insecurities were manifest by the stiff stance he took standing there, hands on his hips as if about to give a lecture. I studied the tufts of wiry down along his chest,interrupted by heavy scarring that started at his neck and slashed its way down as if some beast had savaged him. The downy black trailed into a thin line that crossed his stomach and over his slight gut and thickened again behind the proudly engorged member glistening against his pelvic bone.**

**I kicked off the panties and stretched out lazily against the dark green blankets of the bed.**

**He still stood there, so stiff and frowning that I finally sat up. He couldn't seem to move so I got off the bed and went to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and nuzzled my face into his naked chest inhaling his scent. It seemed darker now and more spicy then his hands, traces of his personal soap and a pang of sweat. I ran my nails across his flanks, gently at first, and then looking up at him, as if to goad him into action, much less gently.**

**He raised his hands finally and groaned, his fingers clawed at the air and curled. I nipped at his chest, pain seemed to get his attention. His clawing fingers found my hair and roughly pulled my face to his. He bent low to kiss me, ravishing my mouth with hot breath and tongue and teeth.**

**He took a step forward, his body pressing mine, the hand clenched in my hair forcing a step back, and then another until I stumbled against the bed. My hands clawed at his back as we fell in a storm against the mattress.**

**I arched my body against his and inched backwards until my head found pillow. His mouth tasted mine over and over in a whirlwind of tongues, he bit my lower lip causing it to swell and bleed. He licked at the salty tang that it caused, and then licked my chin and cheek and neck.**

**I could feel him shift his weight lower as his head buried in my neck and licked raspily against my collar bone. I buried my hands in his hair as his tongue lapped circles around my breasts and nipples. He teased with his teeth, nipping bits of skin and suckling at my nipple.**

**There was so much sensation seemingly all at once.**

**I bucked against him as his tongue moved lower still, He bit at my hips and licked a long line against my pelvic bone, his hands grasping roughly at the abandoned flesh from above. He slid down the bed and his hands raced suddenly past his face, his thumbs bit then into my inner thighs and forced them roughly apart.**

**I gasped and clawed at the blankets, having lost hold of his beautiful mane. My head rose from the pillow and my knees flexed as he forced me open before him.**

**His tongue was just as brutal as before, one long rasping lick from slit to hood and I found myself gasping his name**

**'Severusss'**

**He tortured me then, licking and nipping and teasing my folds, hands firmly holding me apart and holding me down though I strained against him. I managed to sit up and lean against one of my arms and took his hair in a firm grasp. I yanked him away with all my might and made him look at me.**

**' I need you NOW Severus'**

**He could see my hot desperation, I was beyond riled, my mind hopelessly gone. He had control again and he knew it. Insecurities forgotten he smiled almost cruelly and pushed me back down. He did however relent with his tongue thankfully and worked his way back up to to cover me. He thrust one knee between my legs as I gripped fastly at his arms, forcing my legs wider apart. He slipped his other knee between as well so I was spread open to him. Holding himself up now with one arm his other hand clutched my thigh then encircled my buttock pushing me against him.**

**I could feel his manhood pulsing wetly so close to my folds and I arched against him as if to force them to meet. His hand wrapped about my waist and his thumb crushed into my pelvic area and finally I could feel him teasing my folds with his tip.**

**I tore at his back, fingernails raking bloody marks, I finally bucked my upper body up until I could bury my face in his neck. I licked and teased while he nudged my folds below, finally in frustration I bit down and he groaned and thrust into me.**

**The shocking warmth and pressure of him filling me made release a breath I hadn't known I was holding, it might have come out as a scream, I couldn't have cared. He held himself there for a moment before sliding himself back out, not all the way but enough to drive himself back in.**

**He made a small whimper and buried his face in my hair.**

**I rocked against him, my hands gripping his shoulders so I could brace against his movements. He thrust into me slowly again, deeply, stretching and pushing until no further he could go. Sliding out seemed to pain him and I could hear him gasp, I squeezed his shoulders.**

**I wasn't sure why then but he let go my waist and used both of his hands to grab mine and pinion them to the bed. I struggled against him, he had not pushed back inside me and the aching loss was unbearable.**

**He bent to kiss me, it was soft and gentle, and at the end of the kiss I felt him move and thrust into me deeply again. He looked down at me, face tormented and beautiful, I watched him watching me, sliding out and forcing himself in. The tension mounted and I arched my hips to meet his thrusts, the ache was exquisite and demanding and burning inside me. His pace quickened with his breathing. His throat rumbled with animal noise, and we panted together towards a glorious pinnacle.**

**I could feel his hips rock crushingly against mine, bruising and without ceasing demand. He released my wrists and grabbed my waist suddenly, lifting me up as he went to his knees and pushing me back down to mount him from above.**

**I tossed my head back and bucked as he buried his face and mane against my chest, He lifted me with his strong slender hands again and we rocked together like this. I could feel a shattering orgasm building and I moved faster then his hands lifting and thrusting himself into me.**

**The white hot pressure within me finally broke, I think I screamed his name then, all I knew as he came crashing into me one final time I could hear his ragged voice whisper my name' Leanna' I could feel him spurting within me, even as my orgasm racked around him, pulse rippling against pulse.**

**And then we were breathless, sweaty bodies, and desperate to never let go of the others flesh. Wet teary kisses were exchanged, his hands cupping my back softly and I stroked his hair.**

**We held each other for a time, just whispering the others name.**

**Our hearts finally stopped hammering and we slowly moved apart. I retrieved our mugs and filled them with water, while he grabbed his wand and healed the bites on my lips and neck and hands. I offered to fix his back and he smiled again setting my heart thumping. 'No, I would like to keep those marks if you don't mind'.**

**Neither of us seemed to want to part, it was not until the professor was fully dressed that his stiff and stern bearing returned that he insisted we had both best get some sleep for classes in the morning.**


	13. A Prelude to Dinner and Detention

**Chapter Twelve **

**Prelude to Dinner and Detention**

**I awoke to tapping at my door. Dressing quickly I raced to join him. I had a late astronomy class tonight and had meant to sleep in, but could not deny the short walk to breakfast we'd have together, having no shared classes the rest of the day.**

**His face was expressionless, but for once he seemed refreshed and his black **

**hair was brushed to a fine silky sheen. I followed him my customary step behind, twisting my hair into a bun.**

**We parted ways as we entered the Great Hall. I slipped my Herbology Guide out of my bag and stole glances at him while I fixed my coffee. He was pointing out a section of the paper to Minerva who continued to chatter away while reading over his shoulder.**

**The rest of the classes for the day seemed to fly by. Even the compulsory flying course did not seem to be going as horribly as usual. Madame Hooch had us divided for a game of Quiddich skirmishes which I happily spent most of benched, being absolutely terrible at the sport.**

**Being a Friday night, most of the teachers had left the grounds early skipping dinner at the Great Hall. Hagrid sat with the loyal Gryffindors enjoying a boisterous meal with them.**

**Our table however was nearly silent.**

**Professor Snape had joined us as was customary for any teacher remaining on a Friday night, and had planted himself across the table from me. He studiously did not look up from his plate while Rosalyene squeakily whispered some choice bit of gossip in my ear.**

**At one point I pretended to be concentrating on mashing one of the boiled potatoes with my fork, and sneaked my foot under the table to the opposite bench to rest against his.**

**I smirked into my plate as his head jerked up to stare at me and banged his knee off the underside of the table, he recovered by barking at one of the younger girls further down the table who had spilled her pumpkin juice into the gravy.**

**I walked back down to the dungeons with Erik to retrieve our instruments for Orchestra.**

**'It's terrible trying to eat with old Sneering Snape down the table' Erik lamented.**

**'He may be a brilliant wizard, but his dinner conversation certainly could use improvement' I agreed with a grin.**

**Just then I heard a purposeful scuffle of footsteps behind us in the hall, and we both turned.**

**'Is that so Mr Kettle, Miss Bishu' It was Professor Snape padding towards us once again making no noise.**

**'Perhaps Detentions on Monday for the both of you will help me think of something inspiring to contribute at the next meal' He sneered and stalked past us.**

**We both groaned and separated to retrieved our instruments. I was stuck following the professor as we were both going the same way.**

**I paused outside my door' You know Sir, what was said was entirely true, if perhaps rude and unfair'**

**'That's entirely besides the point Miss Bishu' He snapped at me opening his door.**

**'Oh I understand Sir, that was not any attempt to get out of detention, but **

**to underlay my own point. You have my apologies for insensitivity, and likely have them again on Monday'**

**He growled and shut his door.**

**I went into my room, locked my door and sat at the writing desk. I sorted through one of the drawers for some spare parchment and dipped my quill in the inkwell.**

'Dear Professor Snape,

I do hereby request your presence during the Dinner hour on Saturday

November 8th atop the Astronomy tower.

We shall see if we can improve your dinner conversation skills.

ps.

Please bring wine or spirits as they are difficult to filch as a student.

Yours,

Leanna Bishu '

**I quickly dried the ink and folded the parchment into three. I snagged my violin case, looked up and down the hall for anyone unexpected and shoved the note under his door and ran laughing down the hall at my own sheer audacity.**

**After Orchestra I swung past the kitchens to the terror and delight of the House Elves. I told them I was the exchange student, thinking perhaps they'd heard of me and possibly think therefor I get special exceptions. I requested the use of some plates and glasses and that I was going to bring a friend to school tom morrow for a picnic.**

**They seemed happy to help and put together a basket for me to take with all the essentials. I had even received their agreement to Apparate fresh delights into my room half an hour before dinner to take with me.**

**I skipped off to Astronomy pleased with my mad scheme. The air was chilly and frost had spread to every inch of the stonework atop the tower. By eleven the professor Firenze was pacing across the flagstones of the tower commenting on the rise of Cetus: the sea serpent, just after Venus bid her farewells from the sky. We each scribbled in our journals of the night's sky.**

**'It might be said by astrologers that this would be the key time for those under the sign of the Serpent to seek love before the goddess dances away to hide under the clouds of winter' For some reason the strange centaur was looking it me. I shivered, and not just from the cold air but from his strange ability to know things. He was also a professor of divination, brought in by the previous headmaster years ago, and held the awe of **

**students far more then goggle glasses professor Trelawney who was considered a complete fraud within the field.**

**Thankfully it was also known he would never speak to others of predictions once he made them.**

**The following morning was a grey cloud covered Saturday that threatened either rain or snow. I enjoyed my early breakfast talking to Headmistress Mcgonagal, Professor Snape reading and drinking his coffee to her other side.**

**'I most enjoyed astronomy last night Miss, however I had always thought astrology was a load of rubbish until I heard the centaur explanations of the various celestial movements' She agreed mischievously taking another bite of her toast, though insisted on my calling the Professor by his proper title.**

**'With the rise of Cetus: the sea serpent in the winter months, do you find house Slytherins' achievements improving Headmistress?' I inquired.**

**'I couldn't say for certain my dear, not enough to stand out in my memory either way, but that's the trouble with that sort of predictions'.**

**I spent the rest of the morning down in the greenhouses trailing after Professor Sprout and asking her questions. She was one of the few teachers that absolutely lit up when I incessantly found new things to ask about. Most thought it tedious after a while and directed me to the library. I followed her around, between the rows with my plant journal I'd been keeping.**

**Just before lunch Soraila and another young Ravenclaw joined us, unfortunately for detention. Professor Sprout was content to let us chat while they re-potted several **

**species for her. Soraila confessed her choir group had planned to meet over the winter holidays to take a trip into London to go caroling. Apparently their group always made a tidy sum of money and stuffed themselves with cookies and cocoa every year.**

**She finally badgered me into agreeing to go the night before Christmas with them and accompany on my violin. I had tried explaining to her that my fingers would surely freeze off but she merely giggled 'No no, look, I'll show you a simple charm, it gives you an extra layer against the cold and maintains your body temperature, here like this' as she snuck out her wand to show me while the professor was in another part of the garden.**

**I was pleased to know this trick, thinking it could be quite useful during dinner tonight.**

**I left them shortly and ate my lunch with the Slytherins. Some were also discussing their plans for the holidays. Josua Black, the prefect of Slytherin, announced his Father would be hosting a small dinner party for new years and that he was allowed to invite a couple of friends over. **

**Rosalyene wormed an invitation out of him, along with Marietta, the two of them conspired to get me to agree to go with them and so I graciously accepted.**

**The afternoon I spent in my rooms playing the violin of course. I even jauntily explored some of the classic carols just to be sure I could remember them.**


	14. The Art of Dinner Conversation

**Chapter Thirteen**

**The Art of Dinner Conversation **

**Dinner hour approached and so I put on my cloak and heavy shawl, hiding the basket that had arrived under them and raced along the back passageways of the castle.**

**I crept along the final hallway to the stairwell to the Astronomy tower, checked, no one was watching, and dashed for the door. At the top of the stairs, warmed from the run I cast the new charm Soraila had taught me, and stepped out onto the cold platform.**

**The sun had set hours ago, but the sky had not fully darkened.**

**I laid out my cloak, now quite warm with just my shawl, and started setting **

**the contents of the basket out. I could then hear footsteps coming from within the tower.**

**Several heartbeats later the professor and I were sitting across from each other on the edges of my cloak.**

**'I brought some Brandy' **

**He pulled out a steel travel cup as well as a decanter of brandy, a bowl of sugar and another container. I watched him curiously and handed him two mugs. I set about arranging the various plates of cheese and rolled smoked meats, fresh buns from the oven, **

**pickles and olives and a dish of assorted crackers.**

**He poured steaming black..coffee- I instantly recognized the smell, into our mugs and looked up at me.**

**'I would venture to make us what is known as 'Spanish Coffee' should you **

**approve?'**

**I beamed at him, twas a gentlemanly move for him to anticipate the cold, as well as our mutual enjoyment of the beverage and still bring the 'spirits' I had asked for.**

**' Oh please yes, I didn't know you knew how to mix drinks?'**

**His eyes now bent on the task of rimming the glasses with the crystallized sugar 'Well both of us shall find out momentarily'**

**He topped off the mug with whipping cream from the last container and handed **

**me mine. Our hands touched briefly to pass the mug and our eyes locked. I blushed and looked away taking the mug to sip, it was deliciously warm and flavorful. Perfect.**

**I echoed the thoughts aloud and took a piece of cheese.**

**'I had to get the bottle from Slughorn you know..' His voice was fine gravel and warmth on the cold evening.**

**'oh' I gasped 'what did you say?!'**

**'I didn't. I scowled at him until he stopped asking questions' He smirked at me and took a piece of smoked ham, tearing off a small bite with his teeth.**

**'I suppose that's a benefit for not being one for conversation' I grabbed a cold sausage and waved it at him' Not that I approve of course!'**

**He scowled at me, and took another bite.**

**'You know the last thing I expected, starting classes with children, was having to dodge out of Christmas parties this year'.**

**'I am really having a hard time picturing any of your classmates suggesting any such thing' He murmured.**

**I laughed 'oh yes so would I, no it's the older Slytherins, particularly one Mister Josua Black, I think he's looking to have his family show off the only foreign exchange student. I could easily see that being his motive. If Rosalyn and Marietta weren't also going I would have refused outright, however I owe Rosalyn a favor.'**

**I waited for him to form a reply, as it was his turn to talk. I popped an olive in my mouth and chewed.**

**He said nothing but took another sip from the steaming mug.**

**'That was your turn Sir, in the conversation..'**

**'Oh?' He tried to scowl but his amusement was clear.**

**'Indeed, I brought up a tedious piece of gossip that was not at all interesting, but it left you several openings. You could have dug out some obscure information about any previous exchange students, even if there were never any before -using that to contribute, or you could have expressed a different opinion on Josua's motives, or even as a faithful Slytherin attempted to extract from me details on how I came to owe Rosalyn a favor' **

**I smugly sipped the coffee.**

**'I am curious how you came to owe her a favor' His scowl was more successful this time.**

**'traditionally I would change the topic at this time to avoid telling you, either because I would not wish to share, or because I wish you to work harder at finding out first. However..' I paused to take another sip' It was a small matter of her help getting ready for the dance, that dress truly is impossible on my own'.**

**'I enjoyed that dress on you, I hope you find it a worthwhile trade' **

**He took the opportunity having made what he believed an appropriate reply to help himself to a roll and chewed on it.**

I took a roll for myself and watched him.

'Are you choosing to change the topic to dresses Sir, or opening up the floor to discuss things you enjoy' I asked in a mockingly and somewhat seductive fashion.

'What? that was not my intention' He set down the bread.

'It was a wonderfully delivered compliment, but that is where you left the topic, it's your turn' I smugly took another bite.

Our repartee continued until the plates were bare and our mugs were empty and twilight had fallen entirely over the castle and surrounding landscape. Our reverie was finally interrupted when Headmistress Mcgonagal strode out onto the parapet.

'Leanne were you not joining us for Poker tonight? Horace has been asking after you'

Her stern face kept surprisingly straight for having found the two of us sitting around what had clearly been a picnic.

'Oh I'm sorry I lost track of the hour, I should still like to I think..' I stopped and looked to the Professors face trying to gauge his reaction. His face had returned to stone, passive and unreadable.

'Would you join us Severus?' She turned to address him.

He fingered his mug, cold and empty, and seemed almost wistful.

'Minerva I shall give up my night to join this needless frivolity of yours if you'll agree to break out that bottle of whiskey I know you've been hiding in your office' His brown eyes took on an almost mischievous gleam. How Slytherin of him to hint at secrets of hers he knew at a time like this.

She arched an eyebrow stiffly and harrumphed.

'Very well Professor' she stalked off.


	15. Work for the Whiskey

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Work for the Whiskey**

**I rushed off to my rooms to change, this time I selected my muggle clothing, my favorite comfy blue jeans and soft dark grey turtleneck. I stashed the basket and its contents into my laundry bin, the house elves would sort it out later.**

**By the time I joined the small gathering, the staff of Hogwarts had divided into two tables, Professor Snape was seated between Slughorn and McGonagall, I joined them. Hagrid, Flitwik, Pomfrey and and Sprout were well into a hand at the next table over.**

**'How was the brandy Leanne?' Slughorn asked seemingly innocent as he dealt out a fresh hand to each of us once I had settled.**

**I blinked owlishly at him until Professor Snape spoke up.**

**' Minerva was telling him where she had found you when they missed you' He spoke dryly **

**picking up his cards sliding them carefully off the table.**

**'I suppose he was telling you of his drink experiment he was trying out on me. Is it common practice to have your potions master try out his experiments on his students?' I inquired with a laugh, hoping to mislead their conceptions of our evening together.**

**I received the desired scowl from the professor before I responded to Horace. **

**'The brandy was lovely Sir' I winked at him.**

**'Horace, my dear, remember we're leaving off our hats tonight, except for probably Severus here, though I do see, OH Minerva you've brought out that excellent whiskey, pour us a round would you dear' he chuckled to himself.**

**'Maybe after a couple of these you'll be allowed to call him Severus like the rest of us'.**

**'Severus will be fine' The professor growled at him.**

**I smirked at my cards and requested another, enjoying my own little secret that it would not be the first time I had used his name.**

**Minerva transfigured water into ice for those of us who desired and uncapped **

**the gorgeous whiskey bottle.**

**Professor Snape won several hands, before Minerva turned the tables.**

**'Now remember Severus, no magic, Leglimancy is plain cheating' **

**She teased him sweeping the chips to her corner.**

**'What's Leglimancy?' I asked.**

**We had finished off her bottle and switched the players around, Severus, Minerva, Filius and myself sat together having banished Slughorn to the other table. Hagrid brought out a bottle of homemade moonshine and served up his table. Professor Flitwik snatched the bottle from the other table. **

**'We're going to need to refill Minerva and Professor Snape's glasses over here if I'm to have any hope at winning' He gleefully insisted on filling Severus's glass despite his protest at drinking such a brew before returning the bottle to Hagrid.**

**'Well, you're in luck' Snape took a sip of the questionable liquid before setting it back down 'I appear to have had enough of that fine whiskey to no longer care what this tastes like' **

**I even managed to win a hand or two, as Minerva started to get the giggles. At the end of the rounds we declared Filius and Minerva the winners of our table and called for them to have a showdown with the winners of the other table.**

**'Rubeus I think I'll have another nosh of that bottle if you don't mind' **

**Snape approached the big man as the winners left his table.**

**'Make him work for it Rubeus' Minerva giggled as she dealt out the cards.**

**Hagrid grinned at professor Snape and refilled his own tall mug before responding.**

**'Tell yeh what Severus, you can have the rest of the bottle if you'll play us a tune on that piano there!' **

**Pomona was still sitting at the table with Hagrid and cackled 'Give us some jazz or something lively, none of that stuffy stuff you like to play Severus'.**

**I grinned shyly at him as he was cornered by his colleagues, showing that I hoped he would accept. He gave everyone in the room a dirty look before snatching the bottle from Hagrid and made his way to the piano.**

**Several more rounds of cards with Professor Snape dutifully livening the evening with the apartment-sized piano, led Professor Flitwik to be named champion of the evening, especially as Minerva's cup had been generously refilled on several occasions. In fact the only person in the room keeping up with her (Barring Hagrid- his size made it impossible to judge) would be Snape himself. **

**Professor Snape pushed the cover back over the keys and stood rather unsteadily. Horace came round to give him his arm announcing' Us gentlemen better get to bed'. Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey took their leave as well holding onto each other giggling mercilessly as they stumbled into the hall.**

**Minerva grabbed me by the shoulder. I ended up walking her to bed, though she had insisted she was going to take me back to my rooms. **

**'I thought he was going to pour that drink over Filius's head honestly' She chuckled reminiscing over him refilling Snapes' glass with that horrible brew of Hagrids' as we zigzagged through the castle.**

**'I don't know what the two of you are up to and frankly I'm better off not knowing' she said as we reached her door 'But I think he actually had fun tonight' She laughed and pushed her way inside her apartments forgetting me completely.**

**I wandered back down to the dungeons on my own.**

**His light was on and his door was open. I peered in and found him sprawled face first fully clothed on his bed. This must have been how Slughorn had left him.**

**'Oh really Sir' I stepped him and tried to roll him over.**

**'What are you doing here L'anna' He slurred and opened his eyes.**

**I shut his door and started taking off his shoes. He managed to sit up on his own by the time I got them off.**

**'I came to check on you Sir, and a good thing too I think, just look at you, drunk as a skunk, you left your door open you know.'**

**'I'm fine, I'm fine you dratted girl' **

**He tried to slap my hands away when I started to try and remove his outer robe. I grinned wryly at him and pushed him on his nose until he fell backwards. He looked bewildered for a moment staring at the ceiling before he cracked a smile.**

**'A skunk you say?'**

**'Indeed Sir' I crawled onto the bed beside him and started undoing his buttons.**

**'We'll just put you into bed and I'll call on you in the morning, I'm sure a number of us will be needing the services of the school's potion master'.**

**He lurched up suddenly and pushed past me.**

**'Oh a hangover cure that's simple enough' He rummaged through his bookshelf and dragged out a sheaf of papers that had been stuck into one knocking several other books from the shelf, then stumbled and landed back on the bed, his tight robes half open and his hair in disarray. He showed me the papers proudly. I took them gently from his hands, and set them on his writing desk, smoothing out the wrinkles his careless hands had made.**

**'Sir' I crooked an eyebrow at him almost in fair imitation of Minerva.**

**"You need to go to sleep now".**

**He fumbled with his buttons in what I thought was compliance, dark hair falling to hide his face. He seemed stuck so I approached to help as before, when he threw back his head as soon as I was within range. He was smiling victoriously as he grabbed me and we both fell back on the bed together as he kissed me.**

**'Maybe I don't want to sleep now' He whispered huskily.**

**I pushed off of him pretending to be cross, though my lips twitched tellingly.**

**'Sir I will put you to bed if I have to sit on you to do it' I undid the rest of his buttons and he seemed to let me.**

**He stood to shrug out of the sleeves.**

**Once they fell away he grabbed me and threw me on the bed and proceeded to climb on top of my stomach and seat himself. He grabbed the bottle he had brought back with him, I watched him rake his hands through his hair and tilt the bottle back, watching specifically his throat move as he swallowed more of the foul substance. **

**He held up the bottle in a mock toast to me 'You were saying Miss Bishu?' He set the bottle back down on his nightstand. He removed my glasses and set them with the bottle before his hands moved along my stomach. He moved lower to peel off my turtle neck and then let me up while he removed his shirt.**

**His devil may care smile set my heart racing, I complied when he pointed at my jeans and thumbed to indicate he wanted them off.**

**He threw back his bedsheets in a grandiose gesture, then lifted me off my feet- despite my protests- I was sure he would drop me. Then placed me gently in his bed, climbing in himself and pulling over the covers. He ducked under the bedsheets, nipping at my shoulders and rolling to me to my side. I could feel him fumbling with the clasp of my bra.**

**'Confounded thing' I could hear high amusement in his voice even as he growled. I reached to help him.**

**He rose to his knees tenting the blankets over us, yanking off my panties. I could see his face now, Bacchanal smile in his triumph of getting me naked.**

**He retreated back under the sheets, his tongue and lips and hands leaving me gasping as he worked his magic on my body. It was never a sense of mastery of eroticism in the way he worked my skin, but a more primal sense of need. His need would engulf me utterly, and opened me to him until I needed him almost more desperately then he. His tongue needed my taste, his lips needed to scorch my skin, his hands needed to touch, almost as if to reassure himself I was real.**

**He nipped at my folds with almost dangerous teeth, spreading my thighs for him with his hands. He buried himself with his task, as I lost all control and strained against him. I tore at his hair, wanting him inside me then, and shucking off the covers.**

**'Not this time my lady' He smirked at me, slapped off my hands and went back to his work, licking and sucking while the ecstasy within me built.**

**I felt so wet that his tongue was almost dry and raspy in comparison, his lips closed over my hood and suckled as I bucked. Blood pounded in my veins, and enraptured me in my state. I clenched at the pillow I lay on, moaning as the first flash of heat surged. His tongue worked me harder as I strained, encouraged as he felt my response begin to shudder deep within me.**

**He teased with soft licks then intense suckling, building a rhythm as my legs convulsed. His pace quickened and my body likened its frenzy, the warm surges of heat rose to a crashing crescendo as I came at the will of his tongue. I shuddered before him, arching my back before collapsing breathless.**

**'Oh YOU' I could not help but say watching him reach for the bottle again with an incredibly self-satisfied look.**

**He straddled me as he tipped the bottle back. His coordination was off as a small splash snuck out from round his lips, some trickling down his throat and chest, dripping on my bare tummy.**

**'Oye Whotchit' I scowled at him in mock English fashion and stole the bottle from him sitting up.**

**He took the opportunity to blow on the liquid dripping down my torso, which caused me to spurt some of the juice in surprise.**

**'You shouldn't waste it my dear, even vulgar as it is' he chided me teasingly, leaning forward to lick up the droplets.**

**'I'll show you vulgar' he tilted his head up to look at me when I spoke, I took the chance to take another swig and purposely squirt some of it between my front teeth at him. He squinted as the amber moonshine drizzled down his face and wiped at his nose before snatching the bottle away.**

**'Insufferable brat'.**

**He pushed me back down on the bed and tilted the bottle slowly, letting small splashes land on my neck, down my chest, along my navel and pooling into my belly button. He set the bottle aside.**

**'If we're going to play that game I'll show you how to do it properly' He bent low and licked it off, slowly and excruciatingly from neck, down, circling my breasts. Then lower along my stomach, pausing to lap at my navel. I moaned in response, excitement reawakened, more feverish for remembrance of his tongue.**

**He parted my thighs and pressed himself achingly slow inside. My muscles were tired but I still ached from having him not inside me. He paused to let my sheath adjust to having his thickness enfolded thusly and grabbed up the bottle again.**

**I could never tire of just watching him drink, though I feared for his poor head come morning. Hell I feared at the state of my own body come morning.**

**I noted he did not swallow, but bent over my mouth, and in a wet kiss let the brew seep from his lips into my mouth. His tongue swished the liquid inside even as I swallowed. He breathed in through his nose and blew his breath softly into my mouth. Air starved from his kiss and reluctant to leave his lips to breathe on my own I took the breath from his lungs. I exhaled his breathe in return and we exchanged life this way until we were both lightheaded.**

**He moved away from the kiss then and moved inside me. Our eyes locked as he pressed in deeper, and slipped away with our breaths, matching his lovemaking with our breathing perfectly. His eyes were more honey then the dark brew we imbibed, piercing into the depths of mine own green in their wantonness.**

**He thrust into me gently, breathing in and slowly breathing out leaving me burning for him. The alcohol set my blood on fire, my body having already yielded to him once, lazy in this new light-headed pleasure. He continued his play of breath and movement, quickening each.**

**I kept my eyes on his, reaching up to touch his face, palm to his cheek. He let out a soft growl of pleasure, closing his eyes to rub his face against my hand, steadily moving in and out from between my legs.**

**I could feel my own tension mounting with his, I roughly thrust my hand into his hair and twisted. He rewarded me with a sharp intake of breath and a fiercer thrust. I ran my nails over his shoulder as he groaned into me. His careful controlled breathes lost beat, he pressed his thumbs into my hips leaving small crescent shaped marks in my flesh.**

**The dissonance mattered not as he rode my flesh into oblivion.**

**I found myself calling his name, urging him on with wicked lust desiring his orgasm as mine own built around him. I felt him shudder sending me over the edge again.**

**'Le'anna' He slurred with his final thrust, ricocheting against my own muscles clenching down as I came.**

**He rolled to his back beside me, and pulled me in to snuggle into his chest.**

**'Perhaps you should just call me Anna since you're having so much difficulty with my whole name' I teased him, quite exhausted, and slurring my words a little as well.**

**'Oh sweet daughter of Slytherin' He sighed at me, though his face was still smiling.**

**He turned his head to look at me, face framed by his raven locks, pale skin nestled up to my body.**

**'Does anyone else call you Anna?'**

**I shook my head.**

**'Then I shall call you Anna, it will be the name that binds you to me' He purred and stroked my face.**

**'I'd like that' I nuzzled his cheek with my nose.**

**'I'm going to fall asleep soon...should I go?' I asked tentatively.**

**'Stay' He whispered, clutching my hand and entwining our fingers.**

**I fell asleep counting his heartbeats through his warm fingers.**


	16. Not So Scary

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Not so Scary**

**I woke in confusion come morning with a horrible taste in my mouth. I had finally gotten used to waking up the the Slytherin dungeons of the castle, but the bright light of his desk lamp was my first clue all was not normal. I sat up, looked over, and there he was shoved up tightly against the stone wall, his naked arm draped across my stomach. I had never seen his face peaceful before, and so I sat and studied him for a while. At least until the horrible taste could no longer be ignored.**

**I slipped out of his bed and went to steal some of his toothpaste and run a finger over my teeth. I felt a bit chilly out of his embrace wandering his stone-enclosed room, and decided mischievously to steal his shirt lying on the ground. It barely covered my thighs, but it smelled of him so I was content to go bare legged. I found his papers on the desk from the night before and skimmed through the hangover cure.**

**Simple enough I decided, and slipped across the hall to retrieve my bag, which had supplies for potion making class tucked away inside. I giggled to myself as I snuck back into his rooms, picturing being seen in only his undershirt thusly.**

**He did not stir until I had his cure ready for him on the night table, had helped myself to one of the books off his shelves and cozied up in his reading chair. I smiled as he rolled onto his back and opened his eyes.**

**It took him several moments before he suddenly sat up gripping his head. When he finally threw his legs over the side of the bed he noticed me sitting in his chair he gave a start.**

**'Morning' I gave him my perverse morning grin 'Cure's right there beside you Sir'.**

**I turned the page.**

**He distracted himself by sniffing the glass, then dipping in a finger to taste before flipping it back to pour quickly down his throat- I could tell from the smell when I made it, it would taste as horrible as a hangover was rumored to feel. I thanked the powers that be again that I did not get hangovers.**

**The Professor made a strangled noise over the taste, and I peered over the book to watch his face. Maybe this was how he gained a surly disposition each morning, I wondered with my sarcastic thoughts rolling around in my head.**

**'I'm almost afraid to ask how you ended up in my room, in my shirt, reading one of my books Miss Bishu' He said at last, rubbing his temples waiting for the concoction to kick in.**

**I grinned at him like a mad Cheshire.**

**' First one's your fault, second- I was cold, third, well I couldn't find anything labeled Diary so I settled for this'.**

**He eyed the mostly empty bottle with Hagrids messy handwriting on it and then closed his eyes again, shaking his head as if to clear his fog.**

**'You remember nothing of last night then Sir?' I inquired.**

**'I...some...I had thought it was a dream'**

**I said nothing, but continued to smile, turning the page.**

**I managed to steal back to my rooms to dress while he was in the shower, leaving his shirt on the chair. He rapped on my door shortly and we left for coffee and breakfast. I slipped a flask of the hangover cure in his hand just before we approached the Great Hall. He gave me a curious look but pocketed it.**

**As I predicted there was Minerva looking half-dead stirring her coffee.**

**'Oh Severus I hope you have either come to kill me or take me to Madame Pomfrey, my head..oh' She tried a smile but it came out as a wince.**

**Wordlessly he sat beside her and took the flask from his pocket and pressed it down the table to her. I sat to her other side and smiled into my rapidly filling mug.**

**'Oh Severus how thoughtful of you! I shall have to break out the whiskey more often, it does wonderful things for your disposition' She beamed, right up until she tried to drink it.**

**He gave her a crooked smile as she choked it down and then opened his paper. I believe that was the quietest meal I had ever shared with her.**

**We retired afterward to our rooms, he bade me play for him while he marked papers that afternoon. I was extremely distracted trying to play with him in the same room, though I was too devoted to my music to stop. I set it aside as I enjoyed watching his hands moving the quill across the page. I could see his brows furrow as one of the essays he was reading made him cross. He licked his finger and turned the page over and began scribbling furiously in red ink, he didn't seem to notice when I stopped playing. I got up off his bed and approached him, placing my arms around him as he flipped back to the front page.**

**'C- You hardly even tried, this was miserable to read' He scratched his pen across the top.**

**He reached up and patted my hand absently, grabbing the next from his stack. I pressed a kiss on his head and backed away and packed up my violin.**

**'I'm going to go across the hall and get my homework done, I'll see you around'.**

**'Miss Bishu' He said in farewell.**

**I knocked on his door later that evening but he did not answer, indeed I boldly tried the handle to find it latched from within. I'd have to find out that unlocking spell for myself for further adventures, so I returned disheartened to my rooms to sleep.**

**Monday morning brought out the surly professor again, potions class went by dismally slow, and he seemed to work himself into a fervor of anger. He stalked out of the classroom the moment his hourglass ran dry and we could hear him barking for order in the hallway at students, as his footsteps echoed away, even as we packed up our things.**

**I knew he would be a terror for the remainder of the day, like in our previous fight, though this time I did not know the cause. I managed to get excused from participating in Charms class, as they were practicing growth charms on each others hair- I had explained my long hair had never been cut to the professor and sat quietly in the back with my notebook.**

**I spent the class instead drawing in my Herbalogy book, sketching the Dittany plant in bloom. I knew that after class I had detention with Professor Snape and he somehow made his way into my drawing.**

**It was a simple mistake, I decided that the growth of the flower was just so, that it needed to be plucked, and dug from the soil. I drew hands, masculine with long fingers, and then a sleeve. Oh it was obvious by the time I finished the sleeve who I had started to draw, so I kept going.**

**'That's very good' one of the young Hufflepuffs came and sat beside me after she had her hair fixed back to normal.**

**'He's almost not scary when you draw him like that'.**

**I grinned at her.**

**'If you had to get up in front of everyone in the class and teach them something new, something you really really liked, but thought no one else would like, how would you feel?' I asked her.**

**'Scared I think?' She chewed on her lip.**

**'Maybe he's scared too and that's how he hides it?' I smiled conspiratorially at her.**

**She gaped at me, though I could see her mind working through the thought. Class ended shortly thereafter.**

**And then the dreaded trudge back down to the dungeons to the alchemy lab. I ran into Erik just before I got there, we sighed and gave each other brave looks before taking a deep breath and entering the empty classroom.**

**Or so we thought was empty, instead there was an animal crate on one of the desks and this horrendous odor. We were near sick and covered our faces as we approached Snapes' desk.**

**'Merlin's beard what IS that smell?!' Erik asked.**

**The Professor came in from the side room where the sinks were and was unrolling his sleeves.**

**'That my young students is your detention' his mouth was a thin line of distaste aimed at us but likely caused by the smell.**

**'I had originally planned for you to wash dishes, but as I have gotten stuck caring for this godawful creature that incessantly goes where it should not, I have formulated that you two shall bathe it and clean it up again and return it to its cage'.**

**I sighed and went to pick up the cage with Eriks' help, rolling my eyes the moment my back was turned to Snape. This would be a horrible job, but thankfully having grown up with several animals, and having done the torturous duty of bathing a cat before it wouldn't be nearly as bloody as it could have been.**

**I recognized the horrible creature- it was Mr Filtchs cat. Mr Filtch must have left it in his care when he left for some reason or other. I was a bit surprised that he didn't leave the cat with Hagrid. Or that Snape agreed to it in the first place.**

**Resigned to the task I instructed Erik on how to hold it by its ruff just so, that it couldn't weasel around to scratch or bite him, not as much anyways.**

**There was plenty of yowling and hissing and scratching before the cat finally drenched- suddenly gave in. We shampooed it several times, and even gave it a tomato bath, before another dose of shampoo, and then tried to dry it off. I was only too happy to shove the thing back in its cage.**

**'Done Sir' Erik reported.**

**'Very well, you may go' the professor dismissed him.**

**I lingered behind.**


	17. Maybe a Little Scary

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Maybe a Little Scary..**

**'Show me your hands Miss Bishu' He instructed formally.**

**I held them out tentatively, cocking my head in curiosity. He grabbed one perfunctorily and examined it. It had several gashes and sported a fairly impressive bite mark scraping the skin off the back of my thumb, none on this hand were deep, since I had been fairly quick. My other hand as he soon saw had not been so lucky, one scratch up the under flesh of my arm was just a step below needing stitches. It was still bleeding.**

**'Go wash you hands again' He said letting my hand go.**

**I obeyed, and found he had retrieved a fresh leaf of aloe from his potted stores when I returned to him.**

**He sat on the edge of his desk while rubbing the salve along the inflamed skin. **

**'I do wish that mouth of yours wouldn't get you into trouble. I dislike punishing you this way' He murmured.**

**I smirked and couldn't help myself.**

**'So there is a way you would prefer to punish me?'.**

**He finished his ministrations and wiped his hands on the hand-towel beside him. Then backhanded me suddenly, across the face, sending me reeling.**

**'What a stupid and dangerous thing to say you silly girl!' He said quietly. I raised my hands to my face in alarm as I stumbled back.**

**He moved in like a viper, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me, his face deadly in almost a loss of calm.**

**'You saw the mark on my arm, don't pretend the moment you could you didn't run off to the library to look it up!'**

**He released me, flinging me backwards into one of the student tables. I was thrown against the hard wood bruising my hip. I sturdied myself and straightened my glasses. My shock wore off rather quickly. He was entirely correct, I'd read everything I could find- there was even a newer publication detailing his involvement in the war against one dark wizard known as Voldemort. It entailed him working as a double-agent for both sides, carefully feeding Voldemort only enough information to seem loyal, while using his wit to spy for the previous Headmaster Dumbledor, and trying to keep "the chosen one" Harry Potter, son of the love of his life, safe. The rest was hearsay, and vagueness. Something I had not intended to reveal was that I had planned to visit the only remaining 'Death Eater' that still lived and walked free of Azkhaban, and learn for myself what I could of the truth of Severus's history. **

**I did not know fully what he was capable of, but there was only one true way to learn, and it looks like I was about to find out.**

**He trembled in his rage.**

**'I, who have used the unforgivable curses..' He straightened to his full height, his face dangerous now.**

**'Yes, the Cruciatus Curse, leaving the bearer with unimaginable pain, gasping on the floor..and oh yes I did enjoy it'**

**I straightened as well, though I could not match his height I could certainly match his bearing. I detested being called stupid, or silly.**

**Oh I would match him sneer for sneer this time.**

**'And I Severus, I have seen you in your "tender passions", which holds more violence then the meanest ruffian..you think I truly do not know you at all?' The words would dig their claws in deep I knew, but I was tired of his perception of others. Perhaps he might remember I am not one of his young charges now.**

**He hissed in a breath and took a step towards me.**

**'Think you to anger me further?' He growled at me.**

**'Why should I have a thought for your feelings, when you clearly take no thought for mine?' it was a true row between us now.**

**'But since you're asking me what I think, what I think is this: You would use every curse you know, on everyone you've ever held in the slightest regard if it would bring her back. Including myself. You would kill your best friend a thousand times just to honor her memory. That is what love is Severus, whether you feed it your darkness or light. Do not mistake me for some naive schoolchild. I am not.**

**I make no move for your heart Severus, I have told you what I wanted from the start from this 'relationship': Knowledge. Of everything, including yourself. If you cannot tolerate a simple conversation on your preferences, in an open or direct way I have other methods. Perhaps if you took your head out of your ass you might realize that I HAVE considered your feelings, since I have worked hard to NOT manipulate you.' I let my words settle.**

**He seemed to stagger back with my words, by the end of my little tirade he backed into the wall of the front of the class and stood frowning, crossing his arms, it was a low blow to bring Her into this, but it certainly got his attention.**

**I folded my arms mockingly matching his stance, it was his turn to speak.**

**'You fiend' He whispered.**

**'A thirst for knowledge such as a Ravenclaw might only understand, backed with a Slytherins' ambition, a dash of the courage of Gryffindor and a dedication Helga herself might admire' He said finally.**

**'I will not underestimate you again..' The flames of his rage dwindled to ember.**

**'Out of curiosity, why do you not attempt my heart? Collecting hearts is a favorite past-time of a Slytherin' He mused coldly.**

**I smiled again 'I have done, in the past. Perhaps I hold you in too high regard for such a petty conquest?'**

**He snorted at my reply.**

**' And now you're being evasive'.**

**My smile turned sad and I looked away.**

**"I have a very unSlytherin view of love. Love to me is sacred. Too great a weapon to have or to hold..'**

**He came to me then, wrapping his long arms around me and rested his chin on my head. 'You probably damn near broke that hat' He grumbled softly.**

**The end of the first term was coming to a close, Christmas Holidays were beginning and most of the students left for their family homes as did most of the staff. I solidified my plans with the choir group for our Caroling project, and we agreed to all meet at the train station to begin our adventures. First we would entertain some of the muggles and wizarding families near Diagon Alley, and then trek onwards to finalize our Christmas treat banditry.**

**I felt a little bit let down to discover Professor Snape would also be going home, in fact I'd heard through rumors that he was staying at the castle a lot more then he usually did in the past, his preference for the solitary had been strangely stymied. This bit of gossip cheered me up quite a bit.**

**I managed to corner Minerva one breakfast alone, and inquired on the activities of the staff over the holidays. She confessed she would not be around the school as much, opting to spend more time with her husband, as were several others, though Snape would be going home to brood alone in his house.**

**'Perhaps I could stop by and cheer him up?' I had carefully maneuvered the conversation to get his address from her.**

**I spent several lonely nights alone, but for the few students remaining before the night of Carols came. I left early for London and spent the morning shopping, picking up some period Victorian wear that the others had already obtained for our travail. Archaic dress seemed the height of fashion in the wizarding world, and I missed my warm comfortable jeans by the time I had finished my lunch in the Leaky Cauldron dressed in this gorgeous satin green number. It was very flouncy, not my usual style at all, and I thanked the muggle inventors for the many layers under it that the bouncy voluminous gown required once I stepped outside. The black knitted shawl I was quite partial to however, and snugged it closer as I made my way to the train station with my violin case in hand.**

**I greeted Soraila when she arrived, taking pains to kiss her cheeks as a sister in the weird European fashion. Four months in Europe and I nearly had a 'proper' accent, but some of the customs took some getting used to. God knows french fries will never be 'chips' to me though.**

**We made our way through the streets, linking arms and reveling. We approached house after house, stopping occasionally for cocoa to warm up. I steered us towards his street and stopped us on the corner.**

**'I have a brilliant prank guys' I spoke up, thankful my fingers weren't numb because of that small charm I had learned.**

**They huddled in eager to hear of it, I was generally a very no-nonsense sort of person, so they were quite intrigued by any such suggestion.**

**'I know where old Snape lives' I smirked.**

**'There is no way we can get in trouble if we "happen" to come across his house and Carole. Why, wouldn't it be the height of rudeness for us to neglect him?' I giggled. **

**'That should get his trousers in a twist, us banging on the door and driving him mad with our good and "well-intentioned" cheer?'**

**'Who is brave enough to go with me!' I shouted laughing.**

**There would be no cowards I knew. So we marched across the lane and approached the townhouse.**

**We discussed what we would play nosily and I directed them 'What child is this' knowing that he would instantly know this was of my doing, and would know the original version that of 'Greensleeves' the scorned lover. Small revenge for his neglect over the past days.**

**Soraila pushed forward through us to rap at his door, and turned back to flash me a brave smile.**

**He answered a few minutes later dressed still in pajamas and housecoat.**

**'What the hell do you want?' His hair was disarray and I was pleased to see him in this manner, few but myself had seen before.**

**I began to play through the first few rifts and the choir joined in. He scowled at me as I played, though was careful to fix his baleful gaze upon each of us. He stood there as the cold seeped into his house past him until we began our second refrain before he finally slammed the door in our faces.**

**'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' we laughed and hollered and ran down the street.**


	18. Christmas Gifts

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Christmas Gifts**

**That evening when I had returned to Hogwarts a delivery owl dropped a note by my plate. I recognized the handwriting immediately and tucked it away within my robes leaving the handful of students sitting together looking rather disappointed.**

**I endeavored not to rush through the remainder of the meal, and tarried a bit still after before excusing myself and bidding everyone a merry Christmas and goodnight.**

**Out of sight I ran down to my rooms, locked my door and tore into the letter.**

**'Dearest Anna,**

**It is my wish for you to join me for dinner on Christmas Eve at my flat. You already know the address it seems.**

**Wear that black number I saw you in at the Halloween Party.**

**Do not bring that musical troop of miscreants.**

**7:00 o'clock**

**~Severus**

**I giggled and clutched the letter to my chest. I was nearly sure he would find vengeance for me intruding on his solitude, but would be delighted to see him in his own surroundings this once.**

**That morning I spent an unusual time on my appearances, I went to great lengths to add a curl to my hair, letting it fall in soft ringlets, and 'borrowed' some hairspray from the Slytherin girls dormitory as well as a few other cosmetics that I felt it was a service to the young girls not to own at their tender ages.**

**Minerva seemed startled at breakfast at my transformation. I seldom wore my hair in anything but a functional braid or bun. I confessed I would be out of the school grounds that evening, and possibly the next day or so, however I agreed to send an Owl should I choose to stay out longer.**

**'Found some lucky paramour then Leanna?' her shrewd teasing I did not let affect me as would have the younger students.**

**'You could say that Minerva' I smiled into my coffee.**

**I took the afternoon train into London and hailed a cab to take me to my destination. I stopped him a block away, adjusting my timing to knock at his door at precisely 5 minutes to. I walked the last steps in the snow, crunching along in my school dress shoes, and muggle winter coat drawn tight with the hood up.**

**He answered the door in a creamy linen shirt with a button or two carelessly left open, and very smart tailored trousers of black. The cream shirt looked almost dark against his white skin, and the yellowed light of his apartment.**

**He took my coat and I doffed my shoes next to his he kept tidy at the door. The walls were a rust-brown lined with pictures of people I did not recognize. He bade me sit at the chair opposite his in front of the fire in his sitting room. I could see the kitchen and the stairs leading up from here in this tiny flat. There was no dining room. **

**The walls uncovered by books seemed to barely match. The few knickknacks along the fire mantle were covered in dust and forgotten, while the ornaments that dotted the shelves were immaculate. He had only barely tried to make this place his own it seemed, leftover remnants of the previous owners still remained but for those shelves and his desk.**

**The high backed chair I sat seemed to dominate the room, he did not take this chair for his own, and scorned it for his more comfortable looking reading chair.**

**He returned to the kitchen to bring us plates filled with a bloody roast thinly shaved onto our dishes, golden roasted potatoes sided with sprouts and topped with a beef au jou. He handed me my plate and set his in his chair and went to his desk to unstopper a decanter. "Whiskey? The icebox is not functioning' He murmured.**

**'Neat it is then' I agreed.**

**He brought me a glass of two fingers and sat across from me, juggling plate and glass. He pulled over a small table to set our glasses on. We ate in amiable silence. I admit I spent most of my dinner imagining him sitting here alone at nights, perhaps his shirt further undone, reading some tragic fiction.**

**'This is most excellent Severus, you have managed to surprise me' I took a sip of Whiskey.**

**'Not the feast you would have had at Hogwarts, yet I'm glad you came' His modest words hiding his pleasure at the compliment.**

**'I should love to borrow your kitchen some time, it's been ages since I could prepare something, I admit to missing it' I confided.**

**He nodded, slicing off a bit of the roast and tipping it onto his fork for a bite.**

**'I read your file, it contains your muggle resume as well, I am in the understanding for a time you were an accomplished chef?'**

**I grinned 'Oh Severus, that's a bit of boasting one only finds on a resume. I'm passable, and I enjoy it, that is all'.**

**He chewed, then after a time he spoke 'It doesn't say why you stopped'.**

**I shifted in the chair, slightly uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. I sipped at the whiskey again finding solace in its amber courage.**

**'An old injury, tore all the tendons in my left shoulder, I can't lift heavy things any more without re-tearing it- such as industrial size portions of food, still aches a bit in the mornings, especially if I've overdone it the previous day...my mouth has always gotten me into trouble' I studied my plate and took another sip.**

**'Someone...did that to you?' He set down his fork.**

**'Yes, an ex with a bad temper' I agreed quietly.**

**'I ...would never give you grievous injury' He seemed disturbed, drawing his own correlations with my taste in men.**

**'I know' I looked up and gave him a smile.**

**He scowled at my confidence in him. He took our plates once empty and rinsed them in the kitchen.**

**I took the opportunity when his back was turned to retrieve a medium-sized gift wrapped package from my bag and placed it on my lap. The flat object was covered in a bright and Christmas green wrapping, with red and silver ribbons tying it closed. I'd spent some time with a pair of scissors curling the ribbons into a fancy pattern and was quite happy with its presentation.**

**He returned and refilled our glasses with another two fingers.**

**'Merry Christmas Severus' I offered him the present as he sat down across from me.**

**'Anna? I had not expected...thank you' He said taking up the box gingerly.**

**'Don't thank me until after you've opened it Sir' I grinning, knowing the words would make him think it was some sort of prank.**

**He retrieved a letter opener from his desk and sat back down, and began to cut away the ribbons. He peeled the wrappings to reveal a heavy bound book with no title. He gave me a curious look before flipping it open.**

**The paper was high grade artistic parchment. It was titled within as Herbs, hand-inked, he flipped to the next page. The very first plant we learned in herbology was carefully drawn in excruciating detail of stem and leaf and root and flower, its stages of growth and beside it. Inked in were all the details of the magical uses for the plant. Below the first description and uses were a second entry of the muggle uses for the plant, its properties, other names and nutritional uses.**

**This was my own hand-made copy of work, unique in combining all I'd learned from both the magical and mundane world. There was likely no other such books written as muggle-science was widely disregarded.**

**'Don't worry, I made a copy to study with for my exams' I watched his face as he flipped pages. He paused abruptly on the page of Dittany, where I had drawn his hand reaching to pluck the blossom.**

**'Not that page, I redrew it' I said watching him trace his fingers over the image.**

**'I wanted you to have the original'.**

**He snapped the book closed and seemed to hug it protectively to his chest, slipping into his habit of letting his hair fall forward to hide his face. 'Thank you' He whispered.**

**Getting up with a start, he tucked it into the side of his chair and raced around the corner and up the stairs. He thumped back down them a moment later with a box in his hands. He shoved it into my hands unceremoniously 'It's not...much, nor as fine as your gift, but take it' He said.**

**It was a shoebox, I recognized and lifted off the cover. I pushed aside the tissue paper to discover an elegant pair of ladies shoes. Victorian in nature with a pointed toe and stubby heel, replete with black lace and silver buckle. He must have had my black dress in mind when he purchased them.**

**'Oh Severus they are beautiful!' I exclaimed in quiet awe. I lifted one out and immediately went to snug my foot into it. Soft fur and pliant leather ensured they would not be nearly as uncomfortable as shoes of that time were generally. They fit perfectly.**

**'That is only part of my gift..' He looked uncomfortable, though no longer hiding his face.**

**'I have also accepted a party invitation for New Years eve at a rather prestigious affair, and thought..if you wanted...if you would like to..I would have you on my arm' He rushed through the last.**

**I raised my brow in surprise. It was as good as an offer to move our relationship out into the open, as at such an event news of our attendance together in a romantic capacity would be all over London before the morning sun rose. **

**'Oh Severus..' I leaned forward and placed a hand on his knee.**

**'That party I told you I agreed to go to? it's also on new years, I'm sorry, truly, that I cannot go to your party'**

**He smiled shyly then.**

**'At the Black residence is it not?' he asked.**

**I nodded.**

**'I took the liberty of getting myself invited to that very party'.**

**I gasped.**

**'But if you do not wish for me to be there I will not' He added quickly.**

**With that bunch of gossipers the news would be round London before the close of the first hour.**

**'Severus, it would be my pleasure' I flashed him my most enchanting smile.**

**He made us a pot of coffee while I explored his study, browsing his enormous collection. I could spend near a lifetime in here reading all of these. I was amused to note several muggle works including Shakespeare, a book of Blake's works, Voltaire and a number of other titles I recognized.**

**I picked a book at random and lounged into the high back chair to read.**

**'My mother would have had a heart attack to see you sitting in her chair like that' I looked up as he brought us the coffee. I had thrown my legs over one arm, it seemed to be the only way to settle into this chair comfortably.**

**I only grinned and turned the page. He sat and joined me, leafing through my gift. I glanced over at the grandfather clock as it chimed the late hour.**

**'The last train leaves within the hour..' I left the unspoken question there.**

**'I have not yet tired of your company Miss Bishu, and so I do not give you my leave. I may release you tomorrow' He thumbed a new page.**

**'Maybe not..'**

**After a time he set the book aside again and leaned forward in his chair.**

**'You never press for conversation, nor seek to fill a silence, I find I enjoy that'**

**I looked up from the book and set it aside as well.**

**'Do you remember the morning we met Sir?' His smile told that he did.**

**'I left an hour early that morning, and took a cab just to have that time of quiet with my coffee.' He nodded his agreement.**

**He poured us each another glass of Whiskey, and selected a book off his desk before sitting down again. I pretended to return to reading, only to watch him absently unbutton another button of his shirt. I am sure to many this strict and severe professor held no allure beyond his vast knowledge and magical power. His pallor too white, his black hair too limp and plain, his features too cruel. To me, in the golden light of the lamps and his fireplace picking up the colour in his skin, his hair tousled and his manner relaxed, I found his patrician look devilishly masculine.**

**He should have been born an aristocrat a couple centuries ago, and the woman of the court would have thrown themselves at him. He was a viper, quick to anger, but primarily cool and aloof, while I, a cat would play.**

**The corner of my lips turned as he looked up to watch me watching him, with the book resting against my stomach, and swished the whiskey in my glass back and forth.**

**I took a sip slowly, resting the glass against my lips, eyes locked to his. I licked the moisture from them provocatively, and in my head I timed how long it would take him to set aside his book and carry me off to bed.**

**It did not take long.**

**He swept me up the stairs into the master bedroom, and set me on the bed. It was gorgeous, dark wood glistening of four posters, hung with a black canopy and a mass of delightfully soft sheets and pillows. I do not think I expected something so extravagant from him. Perhaps he had inherited this furniture as well. I pushed the thought from my mind and settled to enjoy, running my hands along the covers.**

**He sat beside me and reached, pulling me to him, his lips brushing mine with the heat I remembered, though his hands, as always cold.**

**He released me from the kiss, one hand still tangled in my hair. His face unreadable yet smoldering. His hand twisted, and pulled me forward and down, I landed across his lap and found my face buried in pillows. It was an awkward ungainly position and I wriggled to get free.**

**Then suddenly I felt a hard swat on my bottom, I gasped, this material did little to cushion its effects. Two more slaps in rapid succession followed as I squawked in protest, before he let me go. I scrambled upright and stood. He was just barely smiling though his voice held his classic sneer' That was for those damn Carolers. I know you put them up to it'.**

**I stamped my foot in pretend anger and called him a rogue. He stood as well, and pulled out his wand. I might have been frightened of him towering over me, but for sensing his humor.**

**'Rogue, knave, scoundrel, blackheart..is there anything else you would like to call me before I tear off your dress?'**

**'Yes you beast! do you know how expensive this dress is? and furthermore..'**

**He cut me off, his voice melted me' I'll repair it in the morning..' and commanded his wand to shred the hems that held it together. It slid off in a whisper.**

**I slapped him on his shoulder' Incorrigible villain!' and proceeded to tear at his buttons.**

**'Anything else?' He asked with a crooked smile once he had helped me rid him of his clothing.**

**'That will do I think' I rain my nails across his chest.**

**'Good'**

**His mouth devoured mine as he lowered me into his bed.**

**Gone was the cramped space of his tiny room in the dungeons, I felt lost among the silk sheets and soft pillows but for his mouth finding me again and again. He was indeed the ruffian I had ascribed him to previously, but I loved every minute of his hands -bruising, his mouth scoring, his teeth marking my flesh. It marked me as his, and this I reveled in. I bit at him as he thrust himself into me with a sigh 'Oh Anna, how I have missed you'. I clenched down hard on him with my cunt just to make him gasp.**

**Oh he would know how I missed him too, I vowed.**

**We were rabid lovers locked in this mounting frenzy. I clawed at his back as he moved within me.**

**'Too many nights.. I have wanted you right...here' He punctuated with thrusts, working me tightly and deep. Our passions heightened, I arched into him as he pounded me mercilessly until his release.**

**He rolled onto his back and wiped his brow before sweeping me into his arms to hold. He planted a soft kiss on my hair and tucked the covers over us. I fell asleep holding him nested into his shoulder, one arm snaked gently around his neck and twining my fingers in his hair.**


	19. Snow Date

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Snow Date**

**The clock chiming eleven woke me the following morning, everything else was silent. I rolled onto one arm to watch him sleep. He was still breathing deeply, his face almost angelic in its peaceful state. The morning sun came in through the front window and lit the room in a soft white glow, and his skin was almost luminescent in its presence.**

**I ran my fingers along his face, tracing the lines it bore. The deeper lines that cornered his mouth might have tickled, for he stirred slightly and smiled. But he still slept on. I was in a fabulously good mood, though slightly sore from the previous evening. I ran my fingers over his chest, tracing the many scars.**

**I had indeed read much further on his exploits during the wizarding wars. The deeper scars here must have been when he had been savaged by Voldemort's Horcrux snake Nagini. I frowned picturing him covered in blood. If the student Hermione Granger hadn't run to get Madame Pomfrey after dousing him with a potion, he surely would have died from blood loss alone. As it was, many had thought him dead for a time. He had been forgotten, left in the hospital when the battle had finished and the day was won. When the student Harry Potter gave a speech about the heroic exploits of Snape, as a sort of Eulogy he was most astonished when Granger corrected him that his teacher was not in fact dead. I growled in my head and swore that even when he finally tired of me that I would not forget him. **

**I ducked my head under the covers that he had pushed to his waist sometime in his sleep, filled with mischief I ran my fingers lower to delicately stroke his more intimate regions.**

**He stirred to life under my touch, I peeked out from under the blankets to see his face, he kept his eyes closed and continued to breathe evenly. I could tell though his breathing changed, and his pulse raced, he was only pretending to sleep.**

**I emboldened my touch to stroke his shaft, it danced beneath my fingers, and I trailed my fingers down to gently cup his scrotum. I leaned in close to breathe hot breath along his cock, he made a small sound in pleasure. I dipped further to take his tip into my mouth, my hand had moved from his balls to grip his member gently and guide it in. He gasped, giving up his pretense at sleeping, though of course focused thus I could not see his face.**

**I sucked at him, shifting my grip to teasingly stroke, and pulled him deeper into my mouth. It did not take me long to make him cum, between sucking him deep almost into my throat, and milking him with my hands. I enjoyed making him strain against the sheets, and gasp my name. I sucked it all down, swallowing each gush as it flooded my mouth. I crept back out from under the blankets, wiping my chin and resting it on my hands and grinned at him.**

**His eyes were open, and I watched him suck in deep breathes as he recovered. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown in the bright sun.**

**'Good morning Sir' I intoned impishly.**

**'Indeed Miss Bishu' He quirked a smile then.**

**We sat in his sitting room spooning at a miserable breakfast of porridge. He kept his smile all through the meal, though in all honesty it tasted rather horrid.**

**He eyed me across from him 'So what would you like to do today Leanna'?**

**I thought about it for a while, scraping down the last dredges from the bowl.**

**'I should like to build a snowman' I flashed my teeth at him in a smile.**

**'You what?' he barked, about to take his last bite and paused.**

**I'd been watching the snow fall out the window while he slept.**

**'Very well' He scowled and took away the dishes.**

**He had given me a set of clothes that were only a bit too long in the limb to wear, though he had mended my dress. He bade me dress in winter things and did the same. Finally standing in the front hall he gripped my arm. He leaned in and kissed me softly and the world sucked into blackness.**

**A moment later I found us standing in a snowy field blinking in the bright sun.**

**'I like that way of travel' I said as he released me. I turned and ran laughing in the snow, it was closer to a few inches unlike the heart of London which barely saw any snow and I was thrilled to feel almost at home again. These snow covered fields along a country road, and a single merry home up the pathway to the left, could have fit in just as nicely back in Canada's rural areas.**

**Snape set himself to sit on a cut stump after brushing off most of the snow to watch. I fell back into the snow and made a snow angel. After a few minutes he came and helped me up.**

**'You face the world with a child-like awe, that even as the oldest student of the school, would fiercely outshine most of the first years' He smiled and brushed the snow from my hair. **

**I giggled and scooped up some snow into a ball and began rolling it along the ground to grow it. He resumed his perch to watch me. I rolled it until it was quite large, and got stuck, I couldn't shift it further for its weight. So I stopped and started in on the midriff ball. By the time I was happy with its size and rolled it back over to the massive base lump of white I turned to him.**

**'Help me lift this' I called out.**

**His expression was rather wry as he approached, and dug his hands into the cold snow and helped me maneuver it to the top. He dusted off his hands while I made the final ball and placed it highest.**

**My masterwork complete I moved to stand behind the snowman, placing it between the professor and I.**

**'Thank you sir'**

**'Not at all, not at all' He looked up just as I finished forming another ball of snow between my hands and chucked it at his face.**

**Momentarily stunned as the snow melted and dripped off in chunks from his face he spat out the snow and wiped his eyes.**

**'Why you little..'**

**I ran away laughing madly as he began to chase me. I was quicker and younger and he stood little chance at running me down despite his longer legs. He contented himself to take out his wand and using it to form a perfect snowball and whip it at my head. It hit me in the back of the head so I turned and scooped up another snowball and chased after him with it.**

**He put away the wand as I came back within range, and grabbed a handful of snow himself. He barked out a laugh as he managed to land another snowball in my face before I lobbed mine in return.**

**We chased each other in the snow laughing together until I ran into him, and the both of us fell down. We were thoroughly covered in snow by this time, though I felt quite warm even as I picked the snow from his hair.**

**He pushed me onto my back and kissed me there, as the damp settled into our clothes. I'm not sure whos' nose was more cold then whos' this time. He helped me up to my feet and we took turns brushing the snow off each others backs, and made our way up the lane.**

**He gave me his arm in an old gentlemanly fashion, and I was content. It was a strange chapter in our relationship, as we drifted from secret lovers to a strange sort of courtship.**

**As he was leading us up to the house, which I could by then tell was fully lit up and home to someone, he spoke.**

**' This is my summer country home. I have two servants that keep it for me, I think we should quite surprise them since I never come here until the summer holidays. They shouldn't mind terribly much, they live like kings while I am away'.**

**I had not guessed until now that he came from a wealthy sort of background. His somber and mean dress never hinted at money beyond it's sturdy make.**

**The house was painted white, fresh and up kept, with a large plowed driveway that may have once held carriages for summer fetes in the old gentry. I peered at its many windows along it's two stories as we came up to the front double doors. **

**The door opened as we reached the step revealing a kindly looking countryman dressed in a sort of dark livery. It was almost like stepping into the past as he greeted his master and took our coats.**

**'Coffee Percival?' Snape inquired as he led me into the living room.**

**"in a moment Master, the Missus ran to put some on as soon as she spotted you out the window coming up the drive' The man bowed himself out of the room, presumably to fetch us coffee.**

**The professor wrapped me in an Afghan and settled me onto the couch. He then opened the grate to the fireplace, and I saw him kneel with matches from the mantle to lit the fire.**

**'No magic here please Miss Bishu, it plays hell on the electronics' He waved absently at the plasma screen lining the wall.**

**He sat in the great chair facing me and picked up the remote. Surround sound came alive with an obscure piece I recognized as Salieri. He set it back down as whom I assumed was Percival's wife came in with a tray bearing biscuits and coffee and laid it out on the low table between us.**

**'Now Master I expect you to offer the lady fresh clothes and put some on yourself or you'll catch cold' He waived her off with a growl of agreement.**

**'That woman will become intolerable unless we accede to her wishes' He grumped.**

**I couldn't help but smile to see him badgered by his own servant in such a motherly way, especially if I did not miss my guess that she was not much older then him. The two servants returned to gang up on him and lead us each to a separate wing of the upstairs.**

**I returned to meet him on the stairs wearing a severe looking black set of robes, god only knows who they belonged to. He seemed to read my mind and looked relieved 'Not one of my mother's thank Salazar' He muttered.**

**He was dressed in robes identical to his school robes, he seemed to wear nothing else but for what he wore to dinner. We sat back in the living room while he regaled me with the history of the house, noting important fetes that graced the presence of several notable people through the ages.**

**The house had been restored numerous times, though it's foundations were laid almost 300 years ago. It had been handed down through various families until his own- the Prince family had obtained it, and thus passed to his father's line- Snape, when his father had finally squandered away the family fortunes. Severus had spent much of his ill-gotten gains from his time as a Death-Eater to purchase the deed back.**

**He led me to the dining room at dinner hour for a rather sumptuous feast. I felt bad for showing up unexpectedly like this, but Percival and his wife seemed quite delighted to serve out the meal as they withdrew during each course. I ate with as much posh as I could muster, almost afraid to touch the gleaming silverware as he led the conversation. **

**'You know, I should expect them to talk of our visit well up until the next time I return. Oh they have friends nearby I imagine, but not much ever happens out here. Let us say it has been a very long time since I had brought home a lady-friend' He gave a sneering smile, amused at what he perceived would be their amusement.**

**I turned the conversation when I could 'I should like to find an Owl to take a message to Hogwarts, either later this evening or in the morning, if you have not yet tired of my company'.**

**He rose to refill my glass.**

**'Not at all, and you may of course borrow mine, I keep him here during holidays for them to look after. I have not much use for the bird except in summer when I might wish to correspond' He sat after refilling his own glass.**

**His smile was crooked, he employed his usual bluntness to forsake social convention and ask why I why I needed an owl.**

**'I promised Minerva I would check in with her should I fail to return in a day or so, let her know where I am and that I'm alright'**

**I frowned as he had taken a sip of his wine only to laugh and choke it back up.**

**'and how is that funny Sir?' I did not enjoy all amusements at my expense.**

**'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' he waved his hand as he continued to chuckle.**

**'Its just that.." He snorted again and gave up on his wine for the moment 'You DID read the exchange contract did you not?'**

**'Yes..though at the time I barely understood half of what I was reading, I had half thought this was all a sham'. I narrowed my eyes waiting for him to let me in on his little joke.**

**'There's a tracer on you Miss Bishu, Minerva knows of your whereabouts at any given time. There's a map in her office that magically shows the whereabouts of all her students, even should they leave the school, or London in fact' It was a good thing he put down his glass as his laughter redoubled.**

**'I can just see her face now' He wiped at his eyes.**

**'You might have told me this before now' I arched a brow at him in the very impression of the Headmistress herself.**

**'Ahh, yes I might have, had you not accepted my invitation the first night, forgive me, my sense of humor- yes it exists, is a little warped'.**

**I hid my own smile as I took another sip of wine. Yes, the idea of the look on her face as the map outlined my presence at the home of one Professor Severus Snape, was indeed rather hilarious.**

**'You know that does bring up an interesting question I had once pondered' He confessed.**

**'When I danced with you at the school I had half expected the school to be abuzz for weeks with increasingly unlikely wild rumors, yet nothing was said. and I KNOW that the student body has little clue on how excellent my hearing actually is...why do you suppose that is?' He asked.**

**I smirked at him now.**

**'That would be my doing'**

**'Oh?'**

**'I told the most busybody gossip that since I couldn't corner some young lad that I blackmailed you into the one dance- threatening to tell everyone of some horrible secret I had learned about you by mistake' **

**I couldn't help but look smug.**

**'you did WHAT?' he seemed torn between laughing and being angry and settled on the former.**

**'Thought you would appreciate my tugging on the spiders web just a bit in your favor. Everyone assumes already you have several terrible secrets, so that left them nothing new to talk about'.**

**I sipped my wine casually.**

**'Well played' He toasted his glass in the air towards mine and drank himself.**

**'Think you to do the same for our New Years outing?' He inquired carefully keeping his face neutral. I think it may hurt his feelings to think I would brush off his gift to me of moving us into public courtship.**

**'I could..and the challenge would be enjoyably formidable' I admitted.**

**'But to be frank though..I'd rather not'**

**Dessert was brought in, a lovely chocolate cake topped with strawberries. Percival came round and plated a piece for me, topping it with a drizzle of chocolate sauce in a flourish before leaving.**

**I'd been grateful to my chef training several times throughout the meal, being at least able to identify the correct fork for each dish.**

**We stayed together until the weekend was over, playing in the snow by day, he even took me horseback riding, and then dancing by night. He turned out to be an excellent dancer, and teacher, as he taught me several of the dances we would be expected to know at the Gala new years.**

**Monday he returned me to Hogwarts with the promise to pick me up Wednesday evening after dinner to take me to the party.**

**Lunch hour I ran into Headmistress McGonagall and blushed as she came to sit with the students. She sat next to me.**

**'Been enjoying your holidays have you Miss Bishu?' Her stern face held a hint of a secret smile, and a twinkle to her eye. I tried not to choke on my sandwich.**

**'Yes Headmistress, it has been most...agreeable' I think my face held a slightly horrified smile to be having this conversation in front of the other students.**

**I focused on chewing the bread.**

**'And you've been away from Hogswarts visiting..I trust the company you've been keeping has been..pleasurable?' Her lips twitched in a ghost of a smile. Damn this woman, I think this was her vengeance for not sending an owl.**

**I must have looked near sun burnt by now at the rate of my blush. I took a deep breath as the devil in me stirred. I looked her squarely in the eye 'Are you looking for details dear Headmistress?' I smirked back at her.**

**It was her turn to near choke on her food.**

**'Certainly not' though she chuckled just the same.**

**I leaned in to whisper to her 'It is highly probable that my activities over the holidays may come to light soon, how much of a problem would that be?'**

**She chewed on her sandwich thoughtfully.**

**'If it were any other student I would of course instantly forbid it'**

**She took another bite.**

**'I suppose as long as it did not interfere with any of your classes, privately I would wish you good luck, and only mildly disapprove on the surface for sake of appearances' she answered finally.**

**I breathed a sigh of relief.**

**I spent the next few days cornering the couple of Slytherins that stayed behind for the holidays, and made them practice dancing with me to their horror. Even Slughorn I hunted down once I found out that he had returned.**


	20. Black Gala

**Chapter Twenty**

**Black Gala**

**In the early predawn of New Years Eve I woke, and stepped into my small shower. I put on the clothes I had borrowed from the Professor during my stay, since I had somehow worn them home. Jeans now felt almost odd, so though it was holidays I shunned them for the severe black robes.**

**I dressed my hair into curlers though still rather wet, and snuck across the hall. I looked around before whispering an incantation' Alohomora' I heard the definitive snap of the lock springing open from within and pushed open the door into Professor Snapes rooms.**

**He was not there I knew, and I hoped it was too early for even Minerva to be up checking her map to see about her students. I curled up on his bed and clutched his pillow. The room smelled more of him then the linens, which I think the house elves changed daily.**

**I took this stolen moment of time to think about us. I had told him I would stake no claim on his heart, and the reason was my thirst for knowledge. What I had refrained from mentioning was that I also did not believe I could. I had figured I was a passing fancy, an older mans revival of his youth, no more. I had assumed we would be secret lovers until he bored of me and returned to his solitude.**

**I had not anticipated him beginning a public courtship.**

**This bold move made me sift through his words of his 'gift'. Was the gift merely opportunity to show him off as a prized possession? an entry as a debutante into world of wizards and witches? No he had worded it as having me on his arm. Was he making his own reentry, and his gift allowing me to follow in his wake? That seemed too crude for him. I snorted. I wouldn't be surprised if half of this part of the gift was letting me ponder its nature, knowing my love of intrigue.**

**A thought occurred. Was this his way of stating his intentions to stake his own claim upon my heart? I cursed myself for not forcing him to make his intentions more clear. I knew it was pointless to dwell on this further, so I stalked off to breakfast after magically re-locking his room. I ate lightly and again at lunch, sneaking an extra roll back to my rooms where I proceeded to nap. He had said he would arrive after dinner, meaning I had to be dressed by then, so I would spend dinner working out the last details of my evening wear.**

**I sought out Minerva for help getting ready. I had picked up a corset to go with the dress I'd worn for caroling but had not put it on. It would need mature fingers to deal with all the lacing.**

**She seemed almost surprised when I asked, but closeted me away with her in her private rooms to help just the same.**

**'I haven't had to deal with these finicky things in ages' she prattled as I held my breath while she yanked on the strings.**

**I unbound my hair from the curlers and conjured a hot stream of air from my wand as I pulled them into long ringlets. She let me sit at her dressing table as I powdered my face, and even took over adding a hint of blush herself to my cheeks.**

**'You look positively lovely my dear' she said with finality.**

**I stood and turned in front of the dressing mirror. I think we were both quite pleased with our work.**

**'You're sure about this then?' She asked.**

**I nodded and smiled shyly.**

**'I have never seen a soft side to Severus in all my years working with him..t'would be a pleasant change you might bring about' She said.**

**The dark satin green positively shimmered against my pale skin, and starkly contrasted with my red hair. The black lace and ruffles seemed to enhance my every curve and matched the shoes perfectly. I was pleased as I took a step to find the points just peeked out from under the hems.**

**'And I think you could..you are very beautiful you know' all I could do was shyly accept the compliment. I had no words, I indeed looked more beautiful then I had ever imagined myself. She opened one of the drawers to the dresser and retrieved a grey box and a black lace fan.**

**'Well if you're sure then, I can only give you my blessing, and perhaps lend you these'.**

**She opened the box carefully to reveal a black pearl necklace paired with black sleek earrings that would dangle.**

**'Oh I could not' I looked from the box to her.**

**'Nonsense I insist' She took out the necklace and clasped it about my neck. Once I had donned the earrings as well I took the fan and snapped it open. I fluttered it gently next to my face as I had seen in a thousand old films.**

**'Perfect' She smiled and we went downstairs together.**

**I wore naught but my black shawl as I walked down the lane to the front gates, and in my head I thanked Soraila again. I was excited to see her soon, and imagined she would be delighted for all of us to be together in our finery.**

**A black coach waited just outside the gates, the door opened as I approached and the professor stepped down. He too was transformed. It was almost as if we had stepped into the 1700's. He wore black breeches instead of his normal robes, tucked into long stockings of pure white. I could not see much else beneath the great overcoat that dazzled with large silver buttons and wide black sleeves. His black hair had been recently cut, and slightly shorter he had tamed it into soft waves that tapered back across his head, giving an added body that simply brought his face to life.**

**Or perhaps it was because he was smiling.**

**I waved to Percival whom I recognized sitting and driving up front, as the professor gave me a hand up into the carriage.**

**'You look absolutely stunning' He said once we were enclosed and the cart began bouncing away.**

**'Thank you Sir' I looked down and clutched my fan tightly.**

**'If you don't call me Severus, I shall refuse to dance with you'.**

**I looked up alarmed, only to find him smiling with humor.**

**'Oh you tease!' I said and smacked him on his knee with my fan.**

**When the carriage stopped, we both stepped out and retrieved our invitations. Both had arrived earlier in the week by owl. I lifted my dress in the snow and took his arm as he guided me up to the house.**

**We were announced as a single party as we entered the great room where the party had already commenced. Several men in waiting took coats, and I was fascinated by his dark green doublet snug around his form, and creating a contrast against voluminous black silk sleeves, the only thing kept from his usual apparel was his silver serpent pin.**

**There were a long row of chairs to one side in a double layer, and a long buffet table of drinks and various finger foods on the other. The music was somewhat loud, yet the man announcing us was somehow louder.**

**Closest to us I instantly recognized Professor Slughorn, and let Severus guide me over to speak with him after I had tugged on his sleeve.**

**'Professor, I thank you again for inviting me along to this little get together' Snape addressed him, waiting for him to turn and notice us.**

**'Severus?' He turned to beam a delighted smile that he had convinced his hermit colleague to attend this gathering, at least the smile held until he noticed my hand on his arm. I think it took him a good solid moment to realize who I was.**

**'Delighted my good man, delighted!, and Miss Bishu you look lovely this evening' He managed to catch himself and reached to take my hands to kiss as per protocol, and resumed his jovial smiles.**

**'I will leave you two professors to talk, and go find the girls' I said and excused myself. I looked back long enough to catch Snapes' eye, and winked. He would be reassured I would return.**

**I maneuvered around the dancing partners to the small group of chairs at the back that held all of the youth attendance.**

**'Rosalyn, Soraila!' I called out in greeting and rushed over to them.**

**We talked naught but dresses for near an hour before Rosalyn teasingly offered to lend me Josua for a dance or two, just to show off my dress.**

**'I think mine own companion might be displeased, but perhaps a dance later on?' I winked at Josua who turned red from embarrassment and possibly Rosalyn's treatment.**

**'I'd HEARD that you'd come with Snape, but simply could not believe it, I thought the doorman had made a mistake' She gasped.**

**I grinned and unsnapped my fan.**

**'Was it just to get a ride here? I would have sent someone for you, you know, you didn't have to come with him' she seemed scandalized.**

**I hid a smile behind the fan as I waved it gently.**

**'You're too kind'**

**She seemed almost relieved.**

**'But I wanted to come with him'**

**"What?! you're not serious?' That scandalized look returned.**

**'You ARE serious' Soraila chimed in, all the girls had turned into a vultures circle.**

**'But he's so old?!' another protested.**

**'So am I, though it's nice of you to have forgotten' I giggled.**

**After a time Josuas' parents stopped by the circle of teenagers and Josua introduced each of us.**

**'Ah yes, the young lady that arrived with Professor Snape..how interesting' I could tell from Wizard Black's tone that our pairing would be a scandal not just within the school.**

**I excused myself shortly thereafter to return to his side. He smiled as I approached and I took his arm again.**

**'Yes the muggle scientific classification of the plant relates it closely to..' They were talking potions I knew, and I smiled privately at Severus who was quoting almost exclusively from the book I had given him as a gift.**

**'So it might indeed be used in the making of Developing Solution, yes I see your point my good man' Horace was enthralled in the conversation and I loathed to part them.**

**However a new dance had begun and most paired couples had already moved to the dance floor. He caught my eye and I shrugged my head at the dancers.**

**He took my meaning and begged off of Professor Slughorn and lead me to the end of the line.**

**He bowed, as I returned in curtsey and picked up at the next step as the dancers moved together as one. It was joyous to maneuver around the partners beside us, and rejoining at a light touch of the hand in the middle, then back again.**

**His eyes never left me even as I smiled out at the world.**

**The next dance to come was a girls only dance, I shooed him off with my fan and he went to find us some champagne.**

**Rosalyn and Soraila rushed over to join me as we took our places.**

**I don't know this one, you'll have to teach me' I giggled at them as we started moving to the music. I mocked each of their steps as best I could but had us all laughing as I tripped up. Soraila and I gave up early, leaving Rosalyn to dance with the older girls.**

**'We saw you dancing with him...was he actually smiling?' She said in a rush still breathless from laughing.**

**'I would have stepped on his feet until he did, had he not' I confessed merrily.**

**Just then the professor had made his way around the room bearing with him two flutes of champagne as promised. Soraila stared at him like an owl, as he sat with us, at least until I kicked her in the shin.**

**'It must be grand that the wizarding world holds events such as these often' I told her.**

**'Oh, it's mostly the upper-class, those who come from money. Traditionally most of the lower class do not live that much differently then the muggles' Soraila managed to squeak out.**

**'Well then I shall be doubly glad to attend when invited' I laughed as she flushed pink at the unintended insult.**

**'Oh I didn't mean anything by that, you were meant for this world I think!' She said, and I waived her off letting her know I knew she meant no harm.**

**'I happen to agree' Severus spoke softly behind me, as I had turned to converse with Soraila.**

**He worked in a little smile for my benefit as Soraila nearly turned green realizing she had insulted his date. Thankfully a Vienna Waltz began to play, and I handed her my drink, as did he.**

**'If I catch you drinking any of that Miss Oswald, I'll have you in detention for a month' He parted leading me off.**

**'Oh you couldn't really mean that Severus' I said loudly enough for her benefit.**

**He bowed and took my waist. 'No..but sometimes one must keep up appearances' He smirked.**


	21. Revelations in the Dark

**Chapter Twenty One**

**Revelations in the Dark**

**The evening passed as if a vivid dream before we finally departed for home. We Apparated just outside of the school grounds and walked in the moonlight up to the castle. I rested my head on his arm as we walked, quite sleepy.**

**'Sir, I've been wanting to ask..what was the meaning behind your gift?'**

**'Meaning?' He intoned softly**

**'Yes, what are your intentions towards me?' I think I might have sighed a little.**

**'I will answer your question, if you answer me this: Why did you say yes?' It was hard to judge from just his voice what he was thinking, I had the feeling if I could see his face it would hold that self-same blankness of neutrality he often wore when he wasn't scowling.**

**'Oh I shouldn't have done Sir, that path leads only to heartache' I sighed aloud.**

**'Did you not swear once under the effects of the Unbreakable vow that you had no intention to harm me? Has this changed that you threaten me with heartache?' His voice held a trace of mild surprise.**

**'Ha! as if I could, it's rather rude of you to make fun of me at a time like this' But my words held no venom.**

**'So to answer your question: I had a moment of weakness, a romantic flight of fancy. You were so sweet when you asked me to be on your arm, that my head mistook the question.. The double-blind idiot I am said yes. I do know better- yet here we are' I must have sounded both happy, sad, and resigned.**

**'So now I would like to know what your real reasons were for asking me' I prompted him, it was only fair.**

**'Do you remember what you said about love, and it's effects on a man?'**

**I nodded.**

**'Whether you feed it your darkness or your light: that is the phrase that's been haunting me.**

**I know it is cruel to speak of Lily at a time like this but I want you to understand something. What you said left me awake at night thinking. I had only truly lost her when I began to feed my passions with darkness, letting go of the light. You have made me rethink much of my life. Before I had thought, what matter is the price of darkness if you do not care? But I cared..**

**..and I lost everything."**

**" She died, and I have no one to blame but myself. I have not known a night's peace until you first shared my bed. Even still I could never sleep while we quarreled. **

**Has it not occurred to you that in 5-7 years I may never see you again?'**

**I lifted my head and looked up at him. We were nearly at the castle, and the moonlight shone on him.**

**'I have seen many students come and go during my time teaching here, and until I met you I thought little of the passing time. The last true friend I had died, and from the first moment we met, I have realized how much I missed companionship. It is entirely for selfish reasons that I asked you to step into the public light with me this evening. Five years from now, if we pull the right strings in the wizarding society, it may be possible to get you a permanent citizenship should you wish it. My reasoning was that I do not want you to go. The gift I bestow is any introductions and influence I may offer to that end. Even if you decide not to stay, you have given me so much already that I am still happy to extend my influence on your behalf to assist you in any endeavor'.**

**I stopped, reeling in the dark night. I had never considered not going home at the end of my education.**

**'You..want me to stay here? in England?' **

**'More then anything, except perhaps your happiness' he said softly.**

**'I would never see my mother again..'I whispered mostly to myself.**

**He smiled then.**

**'I'd thought of that, traditionally we teach interested students how to Apparate in the final years, if they are to turn 17 or have turned 17 by the time of the next exam. Since you are already of age, I could teach you at any time. This also means if you learn now, and are successful and licensed, there is no need for costly plane trips home this summer'**

**'You can apparate that far?' I asked.**

**'You can apparate to any location that is known to you within your skill range, though you'll need permission from both countries Ministry of Magics' He agreed. 'Barring that, you can always get a port-key made'.**

**'I need some time to digest all of this' I continued to walk with him back to the castle. If he felt any disappointment he did not show it.**

**He kissed me goodnight and let me return alone to my room. I lay in my bed awake thinking. I'd only managed to call my mother a couple times on the weekends. I'd told her I'd gone traveling and that my laptop had broken on the first night, which is why I wasn't online to talk to her. **

**Magic had changed my whole world. I had no idea what I'd do with my life when I'd finished Hogwarts. I think part of me expected to go back to my old life when I'd finished school, get a new apartment, find some new dead-end job to pay the bills, music on weeknights, going to the bar with my mates on the weekends. But now, endless possibilities opened. I could, within the wizarding world, go back to being a chef- magical restaurants would open the doors closed by my injury. My love for the muggle herbalism could blossom into full blown alchemy. I could become a healer, I could do...anything.**

**I thought on the other things he had said. I realized I too was grateful for his companionship. I'd have been nearly alone during my school days if not for him, as none of the classmates could really feel as a colleague. And after school..going back to the muggle world..**

**There would be no one for me to talk to about all of this.**

**His gift was far more altruistic then he would dare admit. Entry into the wizarding society would introduce me to new companions, and possibly even negate his own place in my world.**

**I could sense the deeper meaning of his words- when asked for the meaning the first thing he spoke of was love. His love for Lily true, but it was the first thing he spoke of. That meant it was on his mind, but he had not fallen in love with me, however, I think he was open to the possibility. I'd have to ask him outright, and I endeavored that before I ever considered another, I would ask him.**

**I decided then that I would not decide on whether to remain in England, until after I confessed all to my mother. Direct relatives had special permission, muggle, squib or otherwise to know the truth of the wizarding world. I had put off telling her because in part I did not think she would believe me, and in part because I didn't know how she'd handle it if she did.**

**If I did stay in England, I knew I could not forever leave the relationship I had with Severus as it was. I needed love to stay in a relationship like this long term, or he would have to be content to remain friends.**

**I prayed only that I did not fall in love with him before discovery of whether or not he was capable of loving anyone other then Lily Evans.**


	22. Apparations

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**Apparations**

**Dawn came too soon, I had barely slept, and was glad that classes would not start until Monday. The hot shower washed away the last vestiges of the makeup from the previous night, and I pocketed the jewelry and fan to return to Minerva in my school robes at breakfast.**

**It almost felt strange to answer my door without make-up, and a simple damp braid.**

**'Good morning Miss Bishu' the gravelly professors voice greeted me as we left down the hall.**

**'Good morning Sir'.**

**I slid the items over to Minerva as I sat beside her.**

**'Well how did it go?' She asked.**

**'Oh it was brilliant Headmistress! The lights, the dresses, and the dancing. The Professor is a wonderful dancer did you know?'**

**'I should certainly hope so, I taught him myself' she looked smug as I stared gape-mouthed at her for a moment.**

**Professor Snape grimaced at the memory. The headmistress and I discussed the finer points of the Gala over breakfast. **

**The remainder of the holidays went by quietly. Professor Snape did not press me for an answer, but I did tell him I would like to begin to learn how to Apparate.**

**Monday's potion lessons began with a dry second term start, more covering the syllabus then anything useful, as were the remainder of the classes until Defense against the Dark Arts. **

**Snape had us dueling with the spells we had learned in the first semester.**

**I managed to successfully stun him once, much to the classes delight and sniggers. About 5 minutes went by and he was still out cold. Some of the students began to look worried. I checked his pulse and breathing, he was OK, but I thought it best to send one of the younger students to go get Madam Pomfrey.**

**'What happened?!' she said in a rush to his side after several moments we had waited for her to arrive.**

**'Stunning spell' I said simply.**

**It actually took her a couple of tries to wake him.**

**'Who did this?!' She demanded.**

**'That would be me Madam Pomfrey, due to the uneven number of classmates the professor partners with me during practice'.**

**'I might have over-done it a bit' I went for a sheepish look, though secretly I was pleased to have gotten through his defenses.**

**'Merlin's beard! Leanna did you have to hit me so hard?' He grouched sitting up finally.**

**'Sorry Sir'.**

**'You can stay after class'.**

**Madame Pomfrey left shortly and I sat on the seats along the edge of the class for the rest of the lessons.**

**After the class filed out to enjoy their free hour before dinner, I approached him.**

**'Didn't mean to knock you out Sir, but I have to try really hard to get at you in the first place to land the damned thing'.**

**'I know, it's fine, the ringings stopped now. I had you stay to start teaching you how to Apparate, if that suits you?' He inquired gently.**

**I agreed happily.**

**He lectured on the three D's, as it was known -Destination, Determination and Deliberation. Described in detail the mindset, and the process of moving oneself with magic from one place to another. He warned of the side effects, and retrieved a bottle and confirmed its ingredients and making as a potion for the use on Splinching. He also explained that we would have to go outside the school grounds to practice since only certain members of the Ministry had the ability to call down the Apparate charm preventing Disapparating within the school grounds. We agreed after dinner to go out and give it my first try.**

**It was a cold and nearly moonless night covered by clouds. The snow had mostly vanished and none could be seen as we went just outside the gates of the school. I practiced the wand movement for him several times until he was satisfied I had it down perfectly.**

**He kicked around the gravel of the road until there were two circles on the ground several feet from each other. He bade me stand in the furthest one, and memorize its feel.**

**When I told him I was ready, I moved to the other circle.**

**I took a deep breath. Counted to three, and with every muster of will I could manage I cast. I managed the other circle on my first try, however everything felt wrong. I heaved up my stomach emptying my dinner onto the ground.**

**He checked me over for Splinching effects, neatly stepping around the vomit. I was terribly embarrassed, but too ill to care as much as I might have. He gave me a sip of a tonic that dissipated the effects pleasantly quick.**

**'Again' He commanded.**

**I moved back to the first circle, now intimately familiar with the ground of the second having divested the contents of my stomach all over it. My confidence had risen, I had managed first try without Splinching, despite unfortunate other side effects. I focused on my need to impress this professor and tried again.**

**The world squeezed into blackness and then slid outwards as I found myself standing back in the messy circle. I was successful again, and found myself much less nauseous. I practiced going back to the first circle.**

**Then on a whim I Apparated behind him.**

**'Good god, don't do that' He said after looking around wildly to see where I had gone to.**

**'I thought for a moment I'd lost you entirely' He was not amused. I however was and laughed delightedly.**

**I had short Apparations down pat now.**

**All eyes were on us throughout the following weeks, we struggled to keep a face of Professor and Student present at all times. He rarely spoke to me during Potions class, and seemed hesitant during Defense Against the Dark Arts. I spent the weekends I could at his flat in London, though it began to pain me to have him spend his on money during that time to feed us. I was chaffing at being penniless.**

**The second weekend I relaxed in his clawfoot bathtub, soaking in the heat and reveling in the bubbles. I'd stolen the dish detergent from the kitchen- it was one of those girl fripperies that I didn't expect him to understand. **

**I went through a mental checklist of my skill set that might be useful to make money part time. Magic was clearly out, I was only a first year. Cooking was possible, but unlikely seeing as I would be in class for most meal preparation. I suppose I could tutor music- though at this point my poor fingers might just fall off. I thought back to my college days, I'd spent three nights a week taking dance lessons, two nights were dedicated to learning everything and anything, while the third night was for the advanced students learning our teachers specialization- belly dancing. I'd started dancing young, one of the few extroverted activities I'd enjoyed. Swing, hip hop, latin, even a short stunt of ballet, everything made its way into my own style when I used to hit the bars with my mates back home. I really did miss dancing. **

**I vowed to myself, getting out of the tub and beginning to dry off, that I'd approach Minerva about it the moment I got back to Hogwarts. I grinned the whole way down the stairs, wrapped in the bath towel and walked in on the professor making us dinner.**

**'Where are your clothes Anna?' Snape growled at me, dropping the tongs he was using to cook with.**

**'Didn't feel like wearing em' Sir' I winked mischievously at him and gave him a kiss while he ran the utensil under the soapy water.**

**He did his best not to look disconcerted over dinner as I sat in his mother's chair wearing only that towel.**

**That night I spent the evening drawing up a poster for advertisement, with Snape carefully stealing glances my direction, though trying to hide his interest. **


	23. Tango

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**Tango**

**'Leanna, I must say that is a fantastic idea. I know several people beyond myself noticed you at the Halloween dance, you have an unusual style and a definite flair!' The Headmistress cheerfully accepted my proposition at becoming a dance teacher. She allowed that I could run a session three nights a week in the hour before dinner, and we settled on a price of 5 Sickles a week per head- and she agreed to help out any students whos' families could not afford my price that really wanted to attend. She assisted me in duplicating the poster I'd made up so I could post it around the school, I would start Friday with a free session to give everyone a taste and see if they would continue.**

**'Perhaps you could come in sometime towards summer and teach formal dancing for a session Minerva, I've had very little training as such- I can of course cut you in on some of the profits' I grinned at her and peered at Professor Snape to her other side who had choked on his morning brew at the beginning of the conversation and was still spluttering and choking.**

**'I'd be absolutely delighted, just let me know in advance so I may plan accordingly' She gave me a coy smile then, seeing that I was no longer looking directly at her.**

**That evening I dug into my wardrobe through all my muggle clothes- I hadn't brought much, but this old outfit I couldn't bear to part with. I slid on the black pants, the voluminous material felt less strange then jeans now that I was used to dress robes and skirts. I was thankful for the stretchy material, the few months I'd been at the school with my activities narrowed to traveling to classes and my few liaisons with the Professor across the hall, I'd put on a bit of weight. Not a lot thankfully, and it would soon burn away with the new classes. The shirt was the same soft cotton stretch that hugged all my assets and clung until mid arm when they flared. These would suit for regular dancing, even though they were my practice outfit for belly dancing, so long as I left the shawl and belt in the cupboard. I didn't now, I withdrew the belt first, fingering the silky material adorned with dozens of brass coins pierced to be sewn on to the fringes. I tied it around my waist and threw the shawl about my shoulders.**

**There wasn't room within the small quarters to properly dance, but still I had to move and stretch and feel the movements come back to me. I stomped my feet gracefully on the stones and shook my hips just for the joy of listening to the musical chime of the belt rattling about my hips. Perhaps someday I would dance for Severus. There was a magic to being a woman that mattered not if you were a witch or muggle, and it was an art I studied at length in my younger years.**

**Back in my formal dress robes I knocked on Professor Slughorns door.**

**'Good evening Miss Bishu, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company on this fine evening?' **

**'Ah Professor I have come to ask a favor, may I come in?' I put on my most seductive smile and pushed my way past him.**

**'Yes, of course what can I do for you?' My charms did not slip past him.**

**'I'm looking for a Tango partner for Friday's class, I assume you've heard about my lessons starting on Friday?' I knew that he had the most connections within the school and needed to find someone fast for my plan. I'd stolen the idea from a movie I'd seen, and felt it would be the fastest way to engage the interest of everyone that showed up- and the best way to get any lads brave enough to duck their heads in to stay.**

**'How very interesting, I used to tango you know?' I smirked, perfect. I slid him the dvd.**

**'I want you to learn this particular dance set, I'll think you'll understand perfectly why I chose this to start my classes, I'm sure you can have it down by Friday I trust?' **

**I gave him a smoldering look and left his apartments.**

**Thursday evening came around and I rapped at Severus's door.**

**'Sir, I wonder if I could borrow you for an hour?' My look was a mix of coy and mischievousness, he took in my outfit with one long glance.**

**He set aside his work and followed me curiously into the night.**

**'I don't know if you get jealous Sir, but I thought it best if you saw for yourself what I was up to. I think as a fellow Slytherin you will quickly see my intentions' I led him into the Great Hall and flicked my wand as Flitwik had done countless occasions setting the great benches against the wall clearing the floor.**

**'Horace, thank you for coming, I trust you've practiced plenty? It's best that we practice this once together before tomorrows session to make sure everything's down pat.' **

**Snape took a stand near the doorway, Slughorn had taken off his robes and stood before me in black silk shirt and black trousers. He'd set his robes next to the small boombox he'd brought with him and gave me a small bow. I'd appreciated that he dressed the part and slicked back his hair. For some reason I knew the kindly old man had done his very best, even though until the Monday before he had saw me as yet another child to tutor within his school, tonight it was clear he did not.**

**'Shall we begin?' He turned and pressed play on the music player.**

**I turned and gave Professor Snape a smoldering look filled with heat, blew him a kiss and stepped forward.**

**The heels I'd borrowed clicked loudly across the floor as I strutted forward. The music in a fast two-time drew us together. We circled as the rhythm heated our blood, linking our bodies together. Horace certainly knew his business and the years seemed to melt away as the old man became a roguish rake of suppressed desires. I could feel his hands touch, yet barely, his hands burning on my skin as they cupped my back and grazed tastefully about my assets. This dance was a homage to dance itself, sweet sultry seduction.**

**It was a short piece, though we were both breathless as the music came to an end. We both laughed together for a moment, and each of us bowed again, as though completing a dual, which it was of sorts.**

**'Marvelous Horace, truly you are a master!' I exclaimed.**

**Severus stepped forward then, his face nearly unreadable except to me. I could see the desire had lit flames in his eyes.**

**'Professor, you will have to teach me those steps someday' He said in his usual quiet way, breathing a little more quickly.**

**'Of course Severus, though you'll have to dance with the lady yourself, she is exquisite!' **

**Horace made his excuses and retired for the evening.**

**'Oh I intend to' Severus had moved in close to me and whispered in my ear.**

**'Will I see you this weekend?' I could tell he was barely restrained, and would tear off my clothes here in the great hall if it would not ruin his carefully manicured image, even so still tempted to do so just the same.**

**I pressed my fingers against his lips 'No..not this weekend, I have other plans'.**

**'Then I must have you now' He grabbed my wrist and led me down into the dungeons. I would let him ravish me completely before the night was through as I would not be in his arms any other time soon.**

**Friday went as well as I expected, about five lads showed up, out of a group of about twenty ranging from almost every year. Both Rosalyn and Soraila had both showed up to give their support and purportedly to learn dance, though both were near masters of the classical forms. I'd also been handed three lads by Mister Filtch, he seemed to think it a fantastic punishment to set these three up as obligatory dancing partners to help even out my sessions numbers, and promised me more in the days to come.**

**'Are well all here then? Present and accounted for? Starting Monday I will be starting Dance Class for real, today is just a taster session to give you folk an idea of what you can learn. I'll be covering everything from every day hip hop, break dancing, Latin, jazz, the Charleston, the Cha Cha, you name it we'll touch on it. Today I'll be starting on a form of Latin dance: The Tango, a personal favorite of mine, and you'll see why in a minute. Everyone put your hands together for Professor Slughorn who agreed to step in for today, though on other days I'll have to borrow one of the taller boys for any couple dancing'.**

**Pretty speech made, Horace stepped in on cue. He'd become more recovered from my outfit this time round, though all the lads were still goggling, even Rosalyn had made a scandalized gasp when I first stepped in the Great Hall. He had added a touch of the dramatic to his entrance throwing his robes stylishly to the crowd once he started up the boombox.**

**The students were memorized as we moved together with the music, and we'd received much whistling and catcalling by the time the music stopped. Horace gave a gentlemanly bow and leaned low to kiss my hand, before recovering his robes and exiting.**

**I'm fairly certain even the boys serving detention would be back Monday.**

**Saturday would bring a whole new level of dance, one of which I was barely prepared for. I'd finally received invitation to the Malfoy Manor, where I could continue my quest to learn all that is Severus Snape. Reading the brief autobiographies in the Wizarding Wars I'd learned the two of them- Lucius and Severus were as close as Snape ever came to being friends with anyone. I intended to exploit that to its fullest. I had the perfect situation worked out within my head if I could but tempt them. I would appeal to their traditionalist values and seek the Malfoy family out as a Patron as one would do in the old world. Perhaps one of their relatives would seek me as a teacher during the summer months and employee me, but for short term, I sought to trade my skill on the violin for knowledge I craved. It was a dangerous path however, they were known Death Eaters, some of the only to have escaped prison. They were still seeking redemption in the social society, and it was a gamble to associate myself with them, however it would make them more desperate to acquire me.**


	24. Ad Different Sort of Tango

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**A Different Sort of Tango**

**I Apparated to the front gates of the manor at the appointed time, with my usual precision, and as I raised my hands to knock, the gates parted before me sparing my flesh contact with the cold metal in the January air. I was clearly being watched from the house. Part of my plan, since I was not yet registered as a legal Apparationist was to give them the slight edge of this forbidden knowledge. Let them think they had the upper hand.**

**A blond young man of about thirty five answered the door when I reached the manor, his hair slicked back leaving his cherubin features in stark contrast. Not the Lord of the manor by any means, I guessed this was his son Draco Malfoy come to visit his family. His appearance was such I could almost sense the vanity seeping from him.**

**'M'lord, I have come at the family's invitation' Oh yes the peacock bristled and preened.**

**'Ah yes Miss Bishu, Father told me that you would be joining us for dinner this evening' **

**He held the door open for me as I stepped in, taking my coat, though I insisted I keep my bag. I left it on it's drawstring around my wrist, it was small and ordinary looking, and perhaps would be overlooked.**

**I'd chosen finely tailored but simple dark green robes. It was best to look good, yet not so good as to give offense to the Lady of the house.**

**Draco escorted me to their dining hall, the portraits on the wall commented quietly to themselves as I passed. It was less luxurious then I had first imagined, I suppose the families decline after the war had left them to selling off some of their finer things.**

**Introductions given round, I kissed the Lady Narcissa's cheeks, and kissed the snake headed cane of the Lord Lucius. I made small talk, making a remark at the cane's delicate refurbishment, complimenting the smiths that had restored it. I could tell suddenly that I had said the wrong thing, as Lucius stiffened, but agreed handsomely. I was however still welcomed as a fellow Slytherin. **

**Dinner was a quiet affair, just the lord and lady with their son. They encouraged me to share what I knew of my own family history, and to their delight I recited the old Lore passed on by Joe Onestaff as to my families tragic downfall. **

**'A horrifying thought, to be deprived of one's magic' Narcissa commented.**

**'I can of course, understand why the Elders cursed my family so..I understand that a combination of the use of Poly-juice Potion and the Imperius Curse caused a number of issues for the resident Ministry here..imagine what one could do with the ability to completely transform one's self without limitation, I almost regret that I had never learned this skill' I said, revealing my own delvings into the darker forces at work in the past wars.**

**'Quite' Lucius chuckled nervously.**

**'You've learned nothing of your families inherent skills Miss Bishu?' Draco inquired less delicately then I'm sure his father would have liked.**

**'Apart from it being banned m'Lord, I had no one to teach me' I gave him a warm smile, far more warm then I felt he truly deserved. His rashness must give his father migraines I'm sure.**

**Lucius caught my eye, I gave him the briefest of nods. The silent exchange assured him that I would never speak of his son's suggestion that I learned dark forbidden magics. He knew in a moment that I understood the subtler ways of speaking that his son had never mastered.**

**'Perhaps I could look through our library, and find literature pertaining to such subjects- purely for your academic enjoyment of course' Lucius hinted broadly, smiling.**

**'That would be delightful m'Lord, I had come in hopes of establishing a Patron, as they did in the old days. I'd been told the Malfoys were traditionalists, and I could trust upon them to understand such an undertaking. I have come to ply my trade, and in turn exchange my poor skill for whatever small gifts you could bestow, knowledge is something I have a great desire for.' The subject finally broached, and dinner at its close I was ushered into their reading room and given a stool to sit on.**

**I made a contrasting sight, with my simple robes amid their plush finery, vastly out-dressed compared to their wardrobe, it was but another ploy to incite their charity. I pulled my violin case from the drawstring bag and set it on the floor. I made a show of taking the glossy instrument from it's case and lovingly rosined up the bow. The family sat around in the chairs and couches of the room, almost portrait perfect with their good looks and civility. But I knew beneath their suave exteriors that a darker beast lay just beneath the surface, and it was to that primal force I would play for.**

**I seemed to play for hours, deep into the night. Draco seemed slightly bored, having less interest and taste then his parents, but seemed to stay just to watch me play. I knew my skill was such that even the dullest auditory pallets could be held captive for a time, and the finer acumen of the Lord and Lady I sensed would appreciate some of the more difficult pieces in my repertoire. The lady at last requested a tune for dancing and imposed upon her husband to dance the once with her before she retired. She bid her son Draco retire at the same time to leave her husband to decide my financial fate. I played one final piece for him, dark and haunting before I set my violin aside for the night.**

**'Let us talk frankly, as equals, Miss Bishu' Lucius bade as I joined him in front of the fire and let him ply me with a dark brandy.  
'Then call me Leanna m'Lord' I said rubbing at my calluses. **

**He smiled then' Very well, then you must call me Lucius'.**

**I nodded my agreement.**

**'Leanna I believe my son has become taken with you, though I wonder if he appreciates your skills as I do' the genteel timbre of his voice made the compliment sound almost sultry. 'There is rumor however that you have already attached yourself to another, I wonder at the truth of this?' He asked.**

**Frank indeed.**

**'You wish us to speak boldly Lucius, then I shall. Yes I am quite unavailable, and I think now you're beginning to guess the real reason I sought you out'.**

**'Severus' It was all he said, but it was enough.**

**'Just so' I nodded.**

**'Well well, that was not something I think any of us had anticipated. And you think he desires you in return?' His mouth played with a small smile. I could feel the deviousness in the man itching to come out.**

**'Perhaps, I intend to find out.' I agreed.**

**'He has fooled us all in the past. I advise you to be very careful' His steel grey eyes hinted at everything I wished to know.**

**'I'm sure he would have said the same of you, had he known I was coming here tonight'.**

**He flashed me a brilliant smile then.**

**'I doubted a Slytherin of any sort would walk into the lion's den without arming themselves with as much knowledge as they could first'. **

**'I wish to know more' I said softly, I reached forward to place my hand on his left arm. An innocent enough gesture for any who did not know of the dark mark hidden under his sleeves.**

**'You know then?' He hissed, withdrawing his arm from my grasp. 'What ARE they teaching you at the school these days. As a Governor of Hogwarts I could write a letter..'**

**I smirked 'Oh I was not taught anything of the sort. I learned some on my own, and spent much time in the library after that. That's why I have come, it's the things they will not teach us, only suggest at, that I wish to know the truth of'.**

**'Were you here a dozen years ago, I might have tried to recruit you' He said finally.**

**'It would have been an interesting time Lucius, as I never devote myself halfheartedly ' I replied.**

**'These are different times now however, the old ways have been buried, tainted by that mad man. I almost lost everything because of him, and I will never allow that to happen again' Lucius confided.**

**'Still there are more subtle means of pushing ones' own agenda..' I hinted.**

**'Alas, yes there is' His eyes twinkled.**

**We talked until almost dawn of our varied agendas. He had agreed to become my Patron, quite pleased with my playing, as well as my more subtle way of understanding and influence I could offer. He pressed upon me several tomes related to the Skinwalkers of my past, as well as promised a trip to the families Pensieve before I left. I would come to the manor and play for him at parties over the summer and make a small stipend. He began to dole out bits of Severus's history, promising more when I had seen what the Pensieve held. Little stories of his youth pleased me greatly. **

**At last he led me through his kitchens to a cellar door latched from both inside and out. These were true dungeons, unlike the refurbished and almost comfortable ones residing below Hogwarts. It was almost like stepping into a candy shop designed for the Marquis Du Sade. I think I startled him when I announced the last out loud.**

**'Now there's a muggle name I'd not thought to pass the lips of another wizard or witch' He raised a brow at me.**

**I gave him a coy glance as we passed the jail cells to a larger open room at the back, and then passed through a hidden door beyond.**

**' I'm a woman of various...interests shall we say..no faint-hearted fool' I kept myself completely cool and unaffected even as I stepped into the dark tunnels below his house, a place which I am sure many had disappeared into never to be seen again.**

**The final room was a large chamber, I'm certain originally a meeting place for Death Eaters, I could feel the enchantments resounding off the walls. There was a table rounded by highbacked chairs, and on it stood the Pensieve. I'd seen it's match within Minerva's office as Headmistress and was curious as to it's workings.**

**'The first image I will show you is a copy carefully taken from the Ministry of Magics vaults. I'm sure Severus would be quite cross if he knew I had these..but then again I think he would be quite cross to know you're here in the first place so I believe our little secret is safe...this is what he showed to that Harry Potter brat when he thought he was about to die' He pushed in my chair for me and withdrew a vial from an alchemists stand beside it, pushing the Pensieve before me.**

**I held my breath unsure what to expect and dipped my head into the basin of swirling colour.**

**I found myself standing in a field of grass and flowers, beneath an old twisted tree. Two young girls stood facing each other. The red-headed girl tentatively held out a small daisy bud and willed it magically to bloom, and offered it to the other girl. I was stunned as the other girl viciously slapped away the flower, calling her names and ran off. It was then that a young Severus stepped out from hiding within that old trees recesses. He went to her and comforted her, showing her a bit of his own magic, they both smiled and reveled in the wonder that was magic. This could be none other then Lily Evans. He seemed so gaunt, yet still maintained a strange kindness that could only be found in the abused.**

**I watched fragments of the years flash by, stepping from one scene to the next until he transformed into the Snape I knew more like today. I watched him beg before Headmaster Dumbledore, it shamed him and I could feel his fear as he pleaded for the Headmaster to save her life. I wanted nothing more then to go to him, I reached out to touch him but the pensieve's magic did not permit and my hands went through his form as though a ghost of the past until the image changed again.**

**I stepped over the shards of a broken door way, and followed him up the stairs. He faltered and staggered against the wall, I could hear a baby whimper softly in the room he was going into.**

**I recognized the shade of red in her hair as she lay broken on the floor. The baby cried more loudly once it realized there was finally someone there to hear it cry. I watched in horror as he went to her then, and scooped her lifeless body against his chest and wept. He howled in rage and sorrow, I hated that I could do nothing for him.**

**The scene changed again. There was the Headmaster sitting across from Professor Snape as he ministered to the Headmasters wounds. The death-grey ash-tone in his face slowly swept through his blood stream and concentrated within his outmost extremity of his hand. I listened in the same dull acceptance as Severus told him he would have a year at most to live. But the old man took it in stride, and instead used Severus's feelings of friendship and duty to extract a horrible promise. That he would even ask this appalled me. My thought's echoed Severus's own words ..'But what of my own soul?' The image of the man falling from the tower seemed to trip up and stick like a skipping record. Pain was keenly felt as Severus killed what was his closest friend. I couldn't breathe. The image seemed to skip back and forth between him weeping over Lily's body, and Albus falling from the tower. **

**It strayed to a previous memory of the Headmaster telling him that the boy must also die, and the abject desolation seeped into the imagery as physical as mist. The Headmaster cruelly asked Severus why he should care, it was almost as if the man knew absolutely nothing of what lay just beneath Snapes' facade. I think it was in response to his friends dismissal of his feelings, as if he had no soul at all that goaded Severus into producing a Patronus that reflected his love for Lily. Fifteen years and his Patronus still echoed hers after her death. 'After all this time?' The effect on the elderly wizards face was immediate. I could see for myself surprise and a trace of horror and regret.**

**What hurt the most was looking into Severus's eyes as he looked up into the Headmasters' 'Always'. It had such tragic finality. I felt my heart had been stabbed and rent from within.**

**The imagery finally faded away to nothing and I raised my head gasping from the liquid that left no trace behind.**

**I found myself wiping tears from my face, and then turned a cold expression to Lucius, arching a brow in question. Why would he show this to me? It was cruel.**

**'I thought you should know what you're up against..and perhaps see why I would consider what many might view as the betrayal of my friendship to the Professor. Oh true he had betrayed my cause of the day, siding with Albus in the war, but in the end he saved my son. Draco had been hand chosen by the Dark Lord himself to kill Dumbledore, and it was his soul the two of them endangered Severus's own soul in order to redeem.'**

**He offered a tissue in what he must view as proper etiquette. I snatched it from him as I felt my chest heave and fought back any further tears. I loathed crying in front of this man.**

**'So, how is this not a betrayal again?' I quirked.**

**'Simple, if I arm you correctly, you have a better chance at success in this endeavor. This is my own way of giving my friend my blessing. Despite the years I still wish for his happiness. I knew of his interest in that mudbl...Ms. Evans, and I was one of the few that did not stand in his way.' I caught him starting to call her a derogatory name I was quite familiar with from the Slytherin Common Room, though he smoothed over it as if it never happened.**

**He withdrew his wand from his cane and held out an empty vial. **

**'Let me think...hmm, what would be of interest to you..' He tapped the wood thoughtfully against his temple and began to tract out a silver line of memory and deposited it into the vial.**

**I squirmed in the seat waiting for him to finish compiling the memories of his own that he was willing to part with. I was not looking forward to feeling and seeing things through this man's eyes. With another deep breath I thrust myself resolutely into the next scene of images.**

**It was dark, Lucius had approached the young boy sitting at his window in the boys dorm at Hogwarts. It was the same gaunt boy from Severus's earlier memories giving an almost owlish smile in the moonlight as Lucius sat beside him. **

**'I'm Lucius Malfoy, son of Abraxius Malfoy, how's your first night at Hogwarts? You aren't missing your family are you?'**

**The boy shook his head and went back to looking out the window watching the waves crash against the rocks below, the window faced out of the dungeons and onto the lake. They sat in silence until the vision changed.**

**It musn't have been much later, Severus still seemed so very young, though it was winter now. Lucius reached down to help him up from the snow, and offered him a handkerchief from his front pocket to wipe the traces of snow from his face. The other students had been picking on him, but though Snape's face held no more smiles as they once did such as that moonlit night, it held no expression anymore whatsoever.**

**'Come to my manor this Christmas, my family holds many prestigious events that will make the other students green with envy, perhaps they will leave you alone after?' I had at first thought that Lucius was being kind to this shy abused boy, at least until the next scene played out.**

**'You invited a half-blood to my table Lucius? I'm disappointed!' Lord Abraxius scolded the two of them openly over dinner in front of many other guests. Some of them laughed cruelly. 'Father he's different, he's better then most of them, he is skilled and comes from the Prince line' Lucius tried to defend his friend.**

**'Father I will show you something later that may make you change your mind about him'.**

**They ignored the young boys until dinner was over and the Lord brought several chosen guests along with the two boys down to the cellar.**

**'We will need...live bait Father' Lucius said and then turned to whisper to Severus.**

**'Do not disappoint him Severus, or we shan't be able to continue as friends. Show him Sanctum Sempra. I saw you perform that once..'**

**Lord Abraxius led them into the empty room at the back, less empty for it held a young woman writhing and chained to a steel table. **

**'Live bait it is then son, let us see what your friend here can do' He sneered at the boys.**

**Severus held his face completely blank and looked between his friend and his father. **

**'What is her blood status Sir?'**

**'Pure Muggle' Lord Abraxius bit off scathingly.**

**'Then we shall mark her as such' the boys words seemed almost not his own. My heart broke for what he was being put through.**

**Severus raised his wand and whispered the dark curse softly 'Sanctum ..Sempra' He walked forward to the table and with a wave of his wand he slashed the woman's' clothes down the middle revealing her soft flesh beneath. His wand continued slashing movements in almost a graceful way, I watched feeling sicker by the moment as he concentrated. I could see the blood welling up from her skin as he carved into her flesh by tracing delicate letters in the air above it. He seemed to be able to focus on just his penmanship, even as I saw the words in blood ripen. MUDBLOOD.**

**The woman shrieked through the whole ordeal, somehow that young boy sealed off his ears until he had finished. It wasn't until he had stopped, stepped back to appraise his work, turn to look up at the Malfoy Lord and see a wickedly pleased gleam in his eyes that what he had just done seemed to finally hit him. The numbness faded and sickening horror blossomed.**

**Young Severus stepped over to the wall to brace himself and promptly threw up everything he had just eaten for dinner noisily.**

**Lord Malfoy went to him, and patted him on the back and cooed encouragingly saying what a wonderful spell he had discovered.**

**'Show me again, speak more loudly, I wish to learn this incantation! Besides, you should sign your artwork' the Lord smirked at him.**

**Severus had managed to regain his composure and looked to his friend, Lucius's eyes held sympathy, but nodded for him to continue. So with a deep breath he repeated the spell as directed and signed below S.S. **

**The vision faded again.**

**The final scene held the two of them kneeling before a twisted looking man, Lord Voldemort I guessed from his resemblance in the books I'd read. The two of them exchanged looks as their Lord called to them to stand and be branded. He raised his wand to each of their left arms, and even as Lucius squirmed I could feel the pain of the wound almost as if in my own arm, tearing into my skin. The snake coiling through the skull rose to the surface of each of their white skinned arms. Lucius's face twisted in pain as the snake writhed below the surface almost as if it was truly under his skin and trying to break through. Severus's face held nothing. **

**When I finally came up from the torturing images I was clutching my own left arm and breathing quickly. Lucius Malfoy held a twisted smile as he watched me cope with the pain.**

**'Interesting..most vomit or scream when they feel such pain..' **

**I almost tore my sleeve in a hurry to check my own arm for such a brand. I knew it was foolish the moment I had, I knew the pain was only in my mind, but I could still feel it.**

**'No of course nothing's there, you only felt it through my own experience' Lucius chuckled.**

**I traced the flesh of my arm where I felt the stabbing pain. He seemed to mistake my fascination.**

**'I could put the mark there in reality? You seem disappointed ' He smirked. 'It would have no function as the Dark Lord is dead and permanently so...wouldn't that be an interesting surprise to show Severus' **

**'No..that's quite alright..if I were to receive a brand I would want it to hold meaning' I said, without even really thinking about what I was saying, still struggling to clear my head from the fog that the pain caused.**

**Lucius tilted his head back and appraised me with new interest.**

**'Is that so Leanna?'**

**'I'm sorry I have no idea why I said that..' I hoped he would drop it.**

**'I think both of us know exactly why you said that' His tone changed and I froze.**

**'Get up'.**

**The words were so soft near my ear. He had stood behind my chair while I had experienced the Pensieve. It was that same soft controlling voice that Severus used to mesmerize his students, but out of this cruel man's mouth. I found myself involuntarily pushing up from the table and turning to stand and face Lucius. There was a fire in his eyes that drank in my sudden fear.**

**He reached out and gripped my hair and arched me backwards against the table, the violence causing a small moan to well up within me.**

**'Does he know?' He asked as he pinned me to the table.**

**'No! Now let me go' I refused to struggle as I knew that would only entice this mad man.**

**'How long has it been since a man touched you in the way your body was meant to be touched?' His words violated me and I hated him in that moment.**

**'You let me go or I will ensure you no longer qualify as a man at all' I hissed at him gripping my wand hidden up my sleeve.**

**I'd like to think that he was about to let me go, I had humored him sufficiently I think, but I was never to know as at that moment the Professor blasted in the secret door at the end of the passage. I simply knew it was him though I could not see, but only hear the concussive rubble flying towards us.**

**Lucius released my hair to snatch at the snake head of his cane and draw his wand. I was up and turned before he could complete the action, assessed that it was indeed the Professor, wand at the ready and beginning to shout some form of magic at Lucius. I already had my wand out and countered the spell and set a flying paralysis his way.**

**The shock in his face near broke my heart, as he assumed I had turned against him. I turned back to Lucius who also stared at me in shock.**

**'Well, well Miss Bishu, an interesting turn of events' He started to put his wand away as I thrust the tip of my Blackthorn wand at the hollow of his throat.**

**'I can only imagine the repercussions of a delicately regarded teacher of Hogwarts breaking into your house and causing damage to your home..But if any of this gets out I will see to it that you NEVER re-enter society. Not for a thousand years Lord Malfoy' I spit out the words.**

**'I claim him as mine, and if you harm him in any way..'I let the words dance dangerously.**

**There was a hint of fear now flickering in his eyes, he carefully tilted his face away from my wand and looked into my eyes.**

**'I think we have an understanding Miss Bishu'.**

**'I will remove him, before he does something reckless..' I withdrew my wand from his throat and turned on spot and strode off. I was careful not to look back. Show no fear, that was how he must be dealt with.**

**'Levis Corpus' I slashed my wand at the Professor who had fallen in a full body bind to the floor and caused him to levitate and follow me out the charred passage ways.**

**I passed Draco at the head of the cellar stairs and scowled at him as I passed with his old teacher petrified behind me. He shrank back, though his wand followed me as I left the manor. I could hear howls of laughter from Lucius as I walked down the drive. **

**I Apparated the two of us once I had exited the metal gates to Snape's flat, and magically unlocked his door. I hurried us inside, it wouldn't do to be seen carrying the professor in the air as if some sort of doll. I placed him in his bed and threw myself against his chest. His hands were still contorted into a spell casting stance. I dreaded his mood when he finally unfroze. I think I began to cry then. The stress and the dangerous circumstance leaving my body in the form of tears. I was just grateful he was OK. I imagined he either cornered Minerva or broke into her office to see for himself where I had gone to for all those hours. What a mess I'd made.**

**After some time I could feel the stiffness leaving his body and he placed his arms around me and just held me for a time.**

**'Did he...do anything to you?' He finally asked.**

**'Not like you think..no' I sat up and shook my head.**

**'Why did you stop me?' He asked.**

**'I needed to face him down myself, or I would be nothing more then prey to him'**

**'You were very brave you know, dashing in with all the idiotic gallantry of a damn Gryffindor, what WERE you thinking?' I teased.**

**'You're one to talk, going there alone..but of course you knew it would be dangerous...did you at least get what you came for?' He seemed rather tired.**

**'Oh yes' I smiled faintly.**

**I gripped his left arm with a squeeze.**

**'I didn't realize it hurt so much' I said seriously.**

**'He showed you that?!..of course he did' Severus scowled and looked away.**

**'The Dark Lord took pleasure in our pain, everything he did always hurt more then it needed to..'**

**I stroked his face gently.**

**'I'm sorry for everything you went through, I'd take it all back if I could'**

**'But then I wouldn't be here with you..' He gave me a sad smile.**

**'What did you mean by back there, when you said you "marked me as your own"' He flashed me a curious smile, glinting gleam of mischief.**

**'A lot of it was fast talk' I admitted.**

**'He is not the first Sadist I've met..I hoped a display of dominance would throw him off your trail..I think it did, but I'm also afraid it might have other repercussions..' I squeezed my eyes shut. Oh yes, He had a sniff of my submissive side which he would realize- did realize after I had managed our escape- that was why he had laughed. I was fairly certain that he would be devoted to his wife, but I knew he would try to take advantage of me in other ways. **

**I realized also now reflectively, that in showing up as he had done, the Professor had thrown his lot in with me, as I had with him in my display. Perhaps Lucius realized immediately that he had best not attempt to part us from the first, then it was all a game to him. He had said himself that this was his way of giving his friend his blessing. Perhaps this chapter was another step forward to that same end..He had backed me into a corner and forced me to admit my own protectiveness of Severus, even as Snape came barging in. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. He would have known immediately when there was another wizard on his property..**

**I opened my eyes.**

**'Sonovabitch' I cursed.**

**'That mouth of yours, I'm going to wash it out with soap one of these days..' But the Professor looked more amused then anything.**

**'All of it, that Arsehole did it on purpose..he SAID that he was giving his friend his blessing but I didn't imagine..' I sputtered too angry to continue. At least that likely meant I was safe. Or safer anyways.**

**'Did he now? It is unlike him to come out and say such things in the open.'**

**'Maybe he thought both of us were too daft to figure it out on our own' I grinned at him.**

**He chuckled and placed his fingers on my lips.**

**'I still don't like you stepping into danger like that, nor being the one to protect me..surely I should be the one protecting you'.**

**'Perhaps, but considering everything, maybe it's time someone finally protects you instead, Sir' I laid my head back down on his chest and we rested together for a while.**


	25. Manipulations

**Chapter Twenty Five**

**Manipulations**

**Sunday we settled down to spend the day together quietly. I knew my week ahead was going to be the busiest of my life since forever and I was more then happy to laze about the professors house and finish the last bits of my homework. It was approaching two o'clock when the doorbell rang. The professor and I exchanged glances- neither of us were expecting anyone.**

**He got up to answer the door, I threw on some pants. His of course, and rolled the cuffs once.**

**'Severus, how good to see you old friend..'I knew that voice immediately. It was Lucius at the door. I held my breath and waited to hear Severus's reaction.**

**'Now, now don't shut the door in my face I came to deliver something. I felt it only proper that the books I intended to lend your student should be handed over to you instead of visiting her in person myself'**

**'Very well' **

**I knew that the professor would be standing blocking the doorway with his hand out. I slipped around the corner.**

**'Lord Malfoy'! I called out cheerfully.**

**'You've brought me my books? How thoughtful of you! Do come in, it would be the height of rudeness not to invite you to tea'. We both at least knew how this game was played.**

**I watched him give a look to Severus who was indeed still blocking the doorway. Lucius, with a charming smile, his blond hair was smoothed back and fanned over his expensive overcoat, oh yes he was the very image of civility today.**

**The Professor stepped aside to allow him entry keeping his own face positively blank and took his coat before leading him into the den. **

**I moved into the kitchen to fix the tea, tapping my lip thoughtfully while I set the kettle to boil, frowning at the plain chipped cups. A wicked idea came into my head, remembering an earlier transfiguration class. I withdrew my wand and tapped on an old and dirty dishrag, transforming it into a fashionable teacup, and tapped our usual teacups to match. Petty revenge has its sweet points.**

**I brought in a tray and set it on the low coffee table.**

**'How do you take your tea Lord Malfoy?' I enjoyed the very image of innocence and grace.**

**I knelt beside the table and added the sugar and cream to each of our cups, handing off the guests first before moving back to kneel beside Severus's chair. There were only the two chairs so Lucius was caught between the concept of standing himself, and offering me back my own chair, or letting me sit on the floor. **

**Severus took in the cup that I offered him without comment and sipped at the beverage.**

**After the niceties had been completed Lucius retrieved the books and held them out at arms length towards me. I made no move to take them but looked to Severus instead. He finally moved and took the tomes.**

**'These are very...rare' I think we all knew rare was not his first choice in descriptors for the books in question.**

**'Are you sure these should stray from your collection Lucius?' The professor directed at him.**

**'Nonsense old friend, no one in the house was reading them and I'm sure Miss Bishu will take excellent care of them' Lucius responded dryly.**

**After flipping through the first couple of pages of the texts he slammed the cover shut and handed the lot to me, the rest untouched. Perhaps he felt it was better if he didn't know what they contained. I took them happily and started pouring over the pages immediately.**

**'So..Leanna' Lucius began casually.**

**'I've shown you my dungeons, has he shown you his yet?'**

**'No' I was careful not to look up, and forced my eyes to continue scanning the page, though I was no longer paying any attention to it.**

**'It's not like that..' Severus growled standing up abruptly.**

**'And I'll thank you to never speak to her in that manner, or perhaps I WILL show her my dungeons, only you will be Exhibit A' His wand was out in a flash, but Lucius only smiled.**

**I watched the two men squaring off, I was pretty much forgotten at this point, well he wanted to 'protect me', fine. Even though Lucius was clearly baiting him.**

**'It would be just like old times then wouldn't it friend, whenever you or I had displeased The Dark Lord' Lucius stood slowly and moved towards Severus, letting the other mans wand come into contact with his skin as he reached out with his empty hand to push away one of his dark locks. **

**I stopped pretending to read the book and instead watched fully now as the professors hand strained white around his black wand digging into Lucius's chin. The familiar way the blond aristocrat touched him told volumes.**

**'You know neither of us had a choice..I had to make it look good..' Snape bitterly defended himself.**

**'Oh yes, you had no choice, neither did I, but you certainly didn't have to enjoy it as much as I know you did' Lucius countered softly, almost as if speaking to a lover.**

**'Your beloved father saw to it that I learned to enjoy such things, if you do recall..do not put the blame all on me' Severus growled and continued to grind the point of his wand into his comrades chin.**

**'Come now Severus, I never blamed you at all..I preferred you, at least you were an artist' Lucius purred.**

**'Do you really think after everything we've been through you two can have a completely normal relationship?' Severus hated him in that moment, for making him face his greatest fears. He felt beyond redemption and his face twisted in loathing.**

**'I can try'**

**I shook my head even as he answered in his naive hopefulness. Lucius must have caught the moment in the corner of his eye.**

**'Have you asked her if she can?' It was almost amazing how Lucius kept his cool even though he knew personally the damage the wand at his throat could do.**

**'That's his biggest failing Leanna, you've long since accepted what you are and grown stronger from it, he never has'**

**Severus backhanded Lucius roughly and caused him to stumble into the wall, clutching his reddening cheek and scowling.**

**'I told you never to talk like that to her 'the professors voice was deathly quiet, rage causing him to tremble.**

**A disheveled Lucius looked to me, watched me draw in shaky breaths, and in a moment he smiled and nodded graciously at me.**

**'I think it is time I go, before I make your lady-friend any more jealous' He smirked and straightened himself.**

**'GET OUT' Snape yelled at him, raising his wand threateningly.**

**I marveled at the Lord Malfoys' skill at pushing him to the brink, but not beyond. I wondered how many years he had spent learning to push his friend like that so that he would abuse him, so the Dark Lord would not punish them both. I inclined my head in thanks towards Lucius just before he disappeared around the corner to flee the house.**

**Once he did leave, Severus finally lowered his arm and slumped down into his chair. I refilled his tea and remained on the floor by his side.**

**'Why do you still let him push you like that Sir?' I was more curious then jealous, Snape was generally the master manipulator, but he just **_**let**_**his friend take over.**

**'Years of habitual apathy Leanna' He sighed rubbing his temple.**

**'Thank you for not interfering' he took the tea cup from my hands.**

**I pointed my wand at our tea cups left on the tray and spoke the charm that would end the transfiguration spell. **

**'I made him drink from a dirty dishrag Sir'**

**He laughed until he cried, finally sputtering down to an occasional chuckle.**

**I rested my head on his knee and absently stirred the spoon in my cup while he ran his hands through my hair. It's almost amazing how one can blind oneself when he chooses. Sometimes it drove me mad, this man taking for granted the woman at his feet letting him pet her as if she were some cat. Normal? Fat chance.**

**I would let him enjoy his naivety for a little longer, why break the quiet bliss?**

**Monday's classes blurred by as I waited breathlessly for dance. The turn out was spectacular, around fifteen paying students along with a handful of detentionees brought by Mr Filch. I decided to move into Swing, now that I had enough partners to go around roughly and could divide us off two by two. Then it was off to dinner and Orchestra. **

**Snape wasn't in his rooms when I returned to the dungeons, so I wandered off to the potions lab to find him. I let myself in and announced myself before opening the back room where he had his private laboratory that he occasionally shared with Slughorn.**

**He smiled, but did not look up as I entered.**

**'Just completing a potion for Madame Pomfrey, she's low on a few things and with a Quiddich match tomorrow she doesn't wish to wait for the usual channels to deliver her new supplies.**

**I nodded and watched him work. I always enjoyed watching him work, I knew that potions was not his first love, he had a better flair for the Dark Arts, and of course the defense against them. Still his acumen was near unsurpassed. Perhaps in my prime I could have equaled his skill. As it was I was glad that the class was for first years, anything en mass and I would have to ask for help, or use magic for the heavier lifting. I rubbed my shoulder absently, regretting it's vague twinges.**

**When he had finished stirring and let it settle he finally turned to greet me properly, moving to where I stood and put his arms around me.**

**'Still wearing that are you?' He asked, taking in my dance outfit.**

**'I suppose I could have changed after Orchestra, but it is amazingly comfortable. I might give up robes completely after I'm finished school' I smiled teasingly.**

**'Merciless child of Slytherin, you may change the entire wizarding world fashion if you do, it looks...very comfortable' He eyed the way the black cotton stretched against my curves, comfort was the last thing on his mind.**

**With no more visits to the outside world except to his flat and back again, time marched on inevitably to the close of January.**


	26. For Keeps

**Chapter Twenty Six **

**For Keeps**

**February crept in quietly but did not make it's presence felt until classes resumed on the Monday. There were posters all over the walls, a dance would be scheduled Saturday on Valentine's for any students staying at Hogwarts, though of course rumors abounded for later year students going down to Hogsmead in search of greater revelries. **

**It set me to thinking the rest of the day as to how I was going to spend the weekend. By dance class I had come with no further ideas and listened to Soraila and Rosalyn discuss their plans on the way back up to the dining hall.**

**'Do you know what he's getting for you Leanna?' Rosalyn asked me.**

**'No..' **

**'What are you going to get him?' Soraila asked.**

**'I haven't a clue..' I sighed.**

**Rosalyn grinned at us conspiratorially' You could dance for him..'**

**'Hmmm' **

**I nearly skipped the whole way back to my rooms, light-hearted and happy. I lay in my bed imagining the dance in my mind, and imagined myself performing it for him. It was only missing one thing, and I decided to spend some of the money from dance and visit the blacksmith as soon as possible.**

**The Friday before Valentine's I ran across the school to the blacksmiths area, they'd promised me my work order would be done that day and I was nearly too excited to contain myself.**

**'I wouldn't mind borrowing this back from you to display as part of my exam if that's OK with you?' The junior apprentice that worked with the Master Blacksmith on the item held the piece out to me to inspect.**

**'I only did the chain and the coins, but its the finest work I've ever done' He was quite proud and I assured him I would let him borrow it when the time came.**

**I took the silver chains, one was merely to hold a key about the neck, the other two each would clasp to either end of the other items. I tapped the key against the first silver bracelet and it came undone allowing me to fasten it about my wrist with another tap of the key. It slid smoothy down my arm and settled on my wrist with a jingle as the light brass coins struck each other with its movement. I slipped on the opposite bracelet and then the matching anklets with glee. They all fit perfectly. I lunged forward with glee and hugged the apprentice though I'm sure I startled the wits out of him.**

**'You do truly beautiful work, please give your master my compliments, the enchantment works marvelously'**

**I regretfully took them off and placed them in my bag, and headed off to meet Soraila and Rosalyn for our last dance session before the weekend.**

**And then the Weekend was upon us.**

**We had agreed to spend the weekend at his country home and Apparated there late Friday night. His servants had already retired for the night so we let ourselves in. He lit the fire in the living room, and we fell asleep together on the couch curled up in a large blanket.**

**Sleeping late we only had the afternoon to distract ourselves before dinner and went to see his horses. They were rather fractious and happy to run when we took them out into the fields. They ran through the snow leaving us both winded and aglow when we finally returned them to the stables.**

**Once dinner was served, Severus banished the servants from sight and warned them not to disturb us until tomorrow. As soon as they were out of sight I picked up my plate and glass and moved from the opposite head of the table to sit beside him. We went through at least half the bottle of wine before we moved back to the living room taking the bottle with us. I refilled both of our glasses.**

**'This time I will give you your present first Anna' His eyes gleamed with boyish mischief as he handed me the wrapped package. I knew it was a book the moment I laid eyes on it, and near tore the wrapping to get at the item. I frowned, it was a tattered old textbook, though carefully restored, with slight charred marks. I looked up at him for explanation.**

**'Advanced Potion Making..this is a N.E.W.T. Level textbook, I won't even get to use this until my 7****th****year, assuming I make it that far?'**

**'Look inside' he bade me.**

**I flipped open the cover obediently and found a brief inscription **

**'Property of the Half-Blood Prince'.**

**'This was yours?' I looked up, I recognized his handwriting and knew of his mother's surname.**

**He nodded smiling.**

**'I must warn you, I made notes all throughout the book, and not just about potions, there are several nasty spells- some of which now known to the Ministry of Magic and are banned, don't try just anything in there, not without asking first..' He cautioned.**

**'But..I thought you would like something of me, something personal, and with your love of knowledge..' He said the last tentatively as though unsure I would approve.**

**'Oh Severus, this is perfect, absolutely perfect. Now I KNOW I'll be able to handle my potion N.E.W.T.s, even if I'm stuck with you marking' I teased, and moved over on the couch to kiss him in thanks.**

**'Now my turn' I kissed him again before slipping off the couch and disappearing around the corner to change. It certainly wasn't because I was shy, but I wanted him to savor every dramatic flair I could use.**

**I stepped back around the corner sliding my bare feet along the freshly waxed wooden flooring. I was carrying a velvet green cloth the held the jewelry I had made for me within. I slipped over to his side and knelt opening the cloth to display the items and set it on the couch beside him. I lifted the key on its chain as he watched me curiously. I tapped the first bracelet to open it, and once secure about my wrist I tapped it again to close it. I paused dramatically and offered the key to him.**

**'You may chose to accept this gift freely, or your gift may be **_**just **_**the dance I have prepared...your choice Sir'**

**His breath caught for a moment, as he stared into my green eyes and I into his dark brown.**

**'If I take the key do I still get the dance?' I knew he was teasing me, it was a good sign, but I had to make sure he understood fully what I was offering.**

**'If you take that key, it means I will dance for you whenever you command..I will do anything you command' I whispered.**

**I watched him swallow. **

**He reached out and took the key from my hand.**

**'Dance for me then, and I will decide if I will keep it'**

**His voice made me melt inside, oh that was such the perfect thing to say..**

**He tapped the second bracelet and placed it on my wrist, then the large silver ring, almost fine, yet smoothed so one might tug on it without it digging into flesh, and he snapped it around my neck, tapping it again with the key. I lifted my leg and set it beside him on the couch, pointing my toes as the green gauzy material slid up my thigh with my movement.**

**Once every bracelet was on I showed him how the silver chains attached to each wrist and together at the throat by the collar. The brass coins jingled as I stepped away from him completely adorned.**

**I'd managed to get my CD in his system before dinner and set it to play the correct song before he noticed I was missing. I instructed him to turn the stereo on and press play.**

**I stood in the center of the room just breathing, stretching each limb slightly, feeling the silver chain grow taught at the very limit of my reach. I counted in my head along with the rhythm, first my left hand, rising, fingers curling into the air as I reached the end of my chain again. Then the right joined in counterpart settling at my waist in descent a perfectly executed gesture. The drums called to my waist as I moved smoothly before him. I danced as I had never danced before, looking at him from lowered lashes, tonight I danced the slave chain dance and begged him with my eyes to keep me.**

**I swept my head back rolling my hips with a wantonness that followed the music but cried for more sensual pleasures. I thrust my head forth, my unbound hair falling forward and swaying and spiraling before I tossed it back again. I locked my hands together before me as if in manacles, and spun letting the coins bedecking my waist tinkle with each step along the beat. I raised my hands as if still locked above my head and then settled them to just behind and resting on my neck pointing my elbows outwards and dancing for him with only my hips now. As the song crescendos I slid my hands along my body and danced more wildly with abandon.**

**I could see him breathing more rapidly, and put the glass of wine to his lips, never looking away. The silver chain holding the key was knotted through his fingers, and I could see him out of the corner of my eye twist the chain in his fingers and slide it along as if counting the beads on a rosary.**

**I watched him shift ever so slightly, having watched men before I knew he was adjusting for the passion I was stirring in him. Nearing the end of the music his long white fingers undid another button of the black silk shirt he was wearing, letting just a hint of his flesh come into view.**

**I licked my lips as I danced imagining what it was to taste him, and prayed I would be able to again soon. The music, the wine, and my lover set me afire. The end of the song I sank to the floor before his feet, resting my head on his knee, one of my legs arched gracefully the other tucked beneath me, both of my hands resting slightly behind my back. It was a submissive but beautifully manicured posture.**

**I awaited only his touch to come to life again, I rested quietly breathing, and careful not to jingle and end the spell. His touch came, two fingers tapping my chin and lifting my face to look at him. I straightened and set my hands gracefully on my knee.**

**'I would duel Salazar himself to keep you, Anna' I shivered with pleasure as I heard him speak and watched him place the silver chain about his neck.**


	27. Darker Needs

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

**Darker Needs**

**We spent little time in the living room, only long enough to drain the remainder of our glasses of wine. I could tell he was working himself up for what came next. I had always sensed the hunger in him, Sadist, Master, Lover, each conflicting within him when he touched me. I could goad him as surely as Lucius had done, and see to my own needs, but I wanted something different with him. I wanted him to come to me with his needs as well.**

**He gathered me up then, wrapping his arm under my pants and skirts, another supporting my neck as I nuzzled against him. He led me to the front hall, and in a cubby curled round by the bannister he set me down, drew his wand and traced a hidden door that led under the stairs the led to the upper wings of the home. The doors revealed steps leading down with plain sterile walls.**

**Torches came to life as we passed, this area of his house was all magical, I could feel it the moment we passed the threshold. I figured by the end of the corridor that we were roughly under the kitchens, though many feet of foundations lay between it and where we were now. **

**How easily he could pick me up, and glide along the narrow way, as if I weighed nothing in his arms. I barely caught a glimpse of a large open room, a stunning mix of stark cavern-like space occupied by benches and a large throne-like seat. My eyes settled on the whipping post with half undone shackles still attached as we passed the opening, a testament to the last time the place was used. Several closed doors later we reached the very end of the journey. The wall ended suddenly in carved stone with one last door to the left, larger then the others, and cast of wood rather then cold steel.**

**It pushed open and the lights came on, a horrible florescent flickering and a low whine as it sucked electricity from elsewhere in the house. The center and most dramatic item of the room was the metal table, like a gurney for cadavers, steel drawers peeked with their handles from below its surface. Scattered chairs surrounded the table, and at the far end of the room, along the wall that the diggings ended along, a long steel counter sparsely littered with trays and boxes of tin.**

**I felt at this point the beginnings of real fear. This wasn't some plush 'dungeon' one read about on fetish websites, no this was the real deal. This is where Death-Eaters would torture their victims, and- gathering from previous conversations between Severus and Lucius, each other. That room we had passed, that was for the public shows. This room was more intimate, and more appalling as the finished handiwork was all that was admired. **

**He placed me on the cold table and uncharacteristically bent and kissed my forehead. I wasn't sure if he even knew if he was comforting himself or I, this room must bring back memories that he likely wished he did not have. **

**'I have little experience with gentleness in the bedroom..none whatsoever here..' He whispered in my ear. **

**'I have lots, wanna trade?' I grinned at him, showing a false confidence in attempt to reassure him.**

**He cuffed me gently upside the head, doing more to muss my hair then anything.**

**'Your impudence would earn you a beating, were you not already down here for just that..' His black eyes twinkled only slightly, the warmth and lighter shades of brown nearly vanquished in the room. His stance shifted slightly, I watched him withdraw his wand from inside his robes. **

**The black wood traced a line down my cheek and I shivered slightly, craning my neck to look at him. All expression gone from his face, I did not want him to hide in his shell again so I reached out and caressed his face, as his wand did mine.**

**'Divesto' He murmured as my clothing vanished .**

**I wasn't sure if I should be grateful then that he put his wand away, I rolled over onto my stomach with a slight jangle, the magic on the metal rings preventing them from disappearing with the small charm.**

**I watched him retrieve a leather case from a drawer and unfold it across the metal counter. The metal I pressed against with my bare skin already giving me goosebumps. I think it was a purposeful design that the victim, myself, could see whatever lay on that counter as he ran his thumb over several vicious looking implements and shake his head.**

**He rummaged through a box on the floor I could not see into and shook his head more violently.**

**'I will be back momentarily, Do. Not. Move.' He ordered and stepped out into the hall.**

**I scarcely dared breathe while I waited for his footsteps to fade and return. He did return in short order, carrying an armful of leather objects, most of which I could recognize. I let out a breath. He placed each item carefully along the back counter: whip, cat'o'nine, crop, paddle. Ah it made sense to me, these items were in the public room, they were more show'ey, designed for humiliation- most likely used on fellow death-eaters in disgrace. **

**I watched the braids of the cat'o'nine as they spilled over the edge, each wickedly knotted and embedded with something sharp...okay...perhaps these weren't entirely show pieces. I sucked in a sharp breath.**

**He turned just slightly so he could see my face, though I only saw half his profile as he seemed to nod in agreement. His wand out again, it flickered over the braided leather, and each strand un-knotted, dropping the bits on the floor, and the leather smoothed itself out into a more soft pliant ending. It would eventually unravel completely in this way, but I think we both agreed it was a lot more suitable for now. He did the same with the tail of the whip, though he had to unwind it from its coils to find the ending first, and put it back down.**

**His hands went back to the cat'o'nine, and his fingers flexed around the stiff handle, I could almost feel the leather as he squeezed it, and watched him as his breathing changed so slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment, I was reminded of the first time he held my violin, oh yes this was his favorite item.**

**I pushed myself up to my knees, and turned, each movement accentuated by the tinkle of coins, as I pulled my hair over my shoulder to rest across my front, presenting the flesh of my back to him and placed both my hands, interlocking my fingers behind my neck.**

**I could hear him inhale deeply, and for once he did not freeze, no, he moved right behind me like a viper, hands roughly gripping the flesh of my hips as I could feel his cold nose just touch the shell of my ear. I could feel the small whip in his clutches as he ground his fingers and its leather into my skin.**

**'Is this what you really want Anna?' his breath hot and his voice hoarse in my ear.**

**I could feel myself growing wet, oh gods, if he only understood..but soon he would see, oh yes.**

**'Please..Master' I whispered.**

**I could hear him make a strangled sound in his throat as he stepped back. One could almost feel him counting out his breathes as he struggled for self-control.**

**I writhed sitting on my feet, pressing the nether folds of my flesh against my heel. I understood how fiercely he clung to control, but how glorious it would be when he understood he could simply let it loose.**

**I waited and I breathed, closing my eyes and flexing my fingers locked as they were.**

**I heard nothing as I jumped, he had barely swung the leather as it grazed my flesh, just a slight sting that made me tense up only from the unexpectedness of it. Wouldn't even turn my flesh pink, I pouted in my head.**

**'Master, do not tease..' **

**This time I could hear the rustle of his garments as the leather snapped across my back, the first flash I knew instantly from its burn scored pink lines from shoulder to lower ribcage, I arched slightly, even as I heard and felt the cat'o'nine come again and again, leaving crisscrossing pink lines in succession. I gasped from the sting, opening my eyes wide and felt my nipples harden from more then just the chill air.**

**I could feel his hand against my back, cold skin against my warm, running his fingers over the hotter-still lines. I rubbed myself against him like a cat in heat and gave a small moan.**

**He stepped away again and I rocked against my heels, they were slowly becoming slick in my wantonness.**

**I could hear the slight whistle of the leather in the air as he struck me harder, I could feel the welting lines it left across my back even as I rocked against my heels. The next whip mark fell quickly, and again, and again, he was striking with rhythm now, I could hear his breathing become uneven, I understood the excitement of watching the flesh take in your mark. I struggled and moaned, one sharp stroke caused a small whimper to break free and my hands clenched as I strove to hold form for him. My hands involuntarily lowered to my knees and I clasped them and lowered my head, though keeping my back still to receive the whips caress.**

**I squeezed my eyes shut and made little noises of pain as I found myself slowly lowering towards the table unconsciously moving away.**

**My hands were now flat on the table and I whimpered as the fury of blows continued until at last I cried out 'Please Master, a break, a small break please..'**

**The cat'o'nine stopped almost before I finished the sentence. I could feel my cheeks were slightly wet, though my heels were wetter still. My flesh was afire and with each pump of blood coursing through my veins I could feel a throb echoing in my nethers. It was always when the sharpness of the blows stopped that the masochist within me came to life, though it was the submissive in me that bowed to the lash in the first place.**

**I sat up, my hair in disarray across my face, and I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I could feel him next to me, the rough wool of his sleeve catching my tender flesh as he ran his hands over the welts that now covered my skin. I groaned with pleasure, I could feel him freeze in response. I could almost hear his brain working with the sounds I made, as he knew what I sounded like in the throes of passion, and tried to reconcile the fact that I made those sounds now.**

**He came around the table to my side, and with a hand, lifted my chin to fix his gaze upon me and search my face with his eyes.**

**'Are you ..alright?' He asked, years of hiding his emotions left his tone neutral despite the display of concern in the question itself. **

**In answer I grinned, grabbed his hand and thrust his finger into my mouth and sucked on it. I could tell just how stimulated he was by that he simply closed his eyes and tilted his head back. I let go with my mouth.**

**'More please? Something different now.' I asked.**

**'Sweet child of Slytherin' He breathed, opening his eyes to take in my mischievous countenance.**

**I placed my hands in my lap and waited. He stepped back towards the counter behind me again.**

**'Get down, put your hands and elbows on the table and bend yourself over it' His words were firm and sultry, it was as though any lover had just said that he would make love to me until the moon went down and dawn threatened the sky.**

**I obeyed, watching him out of the corner of my eye as I dropped over the edge of the table. I straightened my hair and let it rest on the opposite of my view of him as I leaned over the table, I had to go on my tip-toes in order that my hips could rest over the top. I knew that the exact angle he watched me would show my muscles tightening, and I shifted my breasts so that you could see their outline neatly from either side. I lay my head on the table and watched him unabashedly. I could feel where I had rested my knees on the metal through the flesh of my arms, the warmer spots, and my back still pulsed with fire.**

**I watched him select next the riding crop, bending the rod in his hands to test its pliancy, and thwacking it against his own hand to get a feel for its sting. As he stepped over beside me out of my view and placed his hand on the small of my back, while rubbing the smooth leather rod against the curve of my ass I felt nearly faint with pleasure. I could feel my head coming off the table as my back arched awkwardly, scooting my buttocks ever so slightly higher in anticipation.**

**I ground my hips into the table as I felt his hand press down harder, as though misinterpreting my struggles as such to get away. The rod snapped down hard across the top flesh of my ass, just as it began to curve, skin untouched by the whip now reddening with a new welt. I bounced and yelped as I felt him pin me to the table, the harder he pressed and held me down, the more I couldn't help but wiggle.**

**He worked the crop slowly down, inch by inch covering my white skin with red and I gasped and kicked. The more I struggled the harder he seemed to strike, his whole arm now across the narrow of my back and holding me down to the table.**

**He marked down to almost midway my thighs before sending the whistling rod back up, inch by inch. I pounded my fists against the table as he started to go over the once welted flesh again. 'Ow, ow, sonovabitch, godamnit, ow..' I began to curse.**

**I think he sensed as he reached just where my thighs curved into ass, the masochist in me's favorite flesh, as I continued to curse and slap my palms against the metal, but then also raised and wiggled my ass higher to meet the blows. He went over that area an extra layer until I stopped arching into the rod and began slapping at what I could reach of his back with my left arm.**

**He stopped then almost suddenly, letting me go and I collapsed against the table, dropping my head with a thud and panted heavily.**

**I could hear the clatter as the riding crop dropped to the cement floor, it almost seemed loud even despite our heavy breathing, and the soft leather bouncing.**

**'You..never said stop...you never asked me to stop..' He seemed torn and confused, for what I could tell from the hoarseness of his voice. I couldn't move my head if I wanted to in that moment, but I could laugh, and so I did.**

**'Fuck that, Master..you should see how wet I am' still smiling as my chuckles died away. I managed to limply move my arm to brush stray perspire-dampened hair from my face. **

**And then I could feel his fingers intruding between my legs, delving between my flesh and then jerking away covered in my juices. I turned my head finally to look at him. He had backed away and hit the wall, moving the dampness between his fingers. His face held confusion, shock, a flicker of horror and a raging flame of desire. Not often did his face reveal what he felt, but in that moment I could see through him clearly.**

**'If you don't come over here and fuck me right now Sir, when I have the energy to move again I'll pick up that damned rod and beat you myself!' I began to push up onto my elbows.**

**He smiled at my empty threat, amused, horror forgotten, left only with desire. He gave my ass a good solid slap with the back of his hand for my impudence and then withdrew his wand divesting himself of all clothes as he had done with me earlier. His thick erection caused me to smile wide and catlike and roll my hips enticingly.**

**He slid himself home, slapping his hips against my burning flesh causing me to gasp in pleasure and pain. Several thrusts into my gushing wetness and I could see a slight frustration as I looked at him from over my shoulder. I knew he would have a terrible time cumming now, after all this workup, and me being so wet and ready. I would give him one last gift this night, as only a masochist can truly understand a Sadists needs.**

**'Master, my pleasure will not finish you properly this night..' I panted.**

**'If you are inclined- take me in the ass, if you want..I'm not used to it, so it will hurt, and it will satisfy...' I breathed.**

**His fingers raked new claw marks down my spine causing me to wince, and leak tears. It felt wonderful and I wanted to scream all at the same time.**

**He moved his hand to gather himself and probe for my other entry. It was indeed tight and unready and unwilling as he slowly forced himself inside. I slammed my palm against the metal and made a cry. He grabbed my hair and pulled with his other hand as he guided himself in.**

**The muscles felt almost as if they were tearing as his thickness filled me, the sopping mess of my vagina had coated him and made his entry far more quickly then it could anticipate. Once inside he grabbed my shoulder and fucked me roughly. He pounded himself into me, grunting low and growling. I felt my eyes leak and I whimpered, it hurt, but it satisfied as I could feel a shattering orgasm building within him. He was merciless as he ravaged me, the flames of heat being slapped by his skin again and again.**

**With a final thrust and a half I felt him spurt inside, the sticky wetness like acid against the little tears. I hurt almost everywhere, but could barely feel it over the euphoria of adrenaline and satisfaction that I knew utterly I had pleased him.**

**He withdrew and I turned over, pulling him to rest on my breast. **

**'Anna, my Anna' He whispered. 'Oh Merlin, what a woman'.**

**I smiled and basked in the afterglow. **

**He carried me back to his chambers, much as he had carried me below, then settled into his great bed and tucked me close to his body kissing me softly as the night grew until we fell asleep.**


	28. Epilogue

**There isn't much to say about the rest of the semester. Every day was filled with classes, then dance and orchestra, and our nights quietly passed in each others arms. I studied hard for the finals, and in time took my Apparation license. **

**I told Severus that once I finished my last exam I would head down to the Ministry's offices and apply for an International Apparation pass and head straight over to see my mother, and would not return until Exams results were back in about a week. I also sent an owl to the Malfoy residence who claimed my first Saturday back in England to host a small party.**

**Everything set in motion I walked down with the Professor after the Farewell Feast to the end of Hogwarts' drive, taking one long look at the school I wouldn't see again until the fall.**

**'Wish me luck now Professor, I have no idea how my mother is going to take all of this..'**

**I sighed and let him wrap me within his cloak, the sleeves of his robes entering my own robes to pull me tighter to him.**

**'Luck to you then Miss Bishu...do not forget me' He murmured against my hair.**

**I straightened, pushed my glasses up my nose and smiled up at him.**

**'Never' I kissed him briefly, already feeling the aching loneliness that I would be without him for a time now.**

**I stepped back and in the shadows of the school grounds I apparated away into the darkness. **


End file.
